Mediterranean Fish Soup

Filed under Seafood Soups

Prep: 25 min | Cook: 70 min | Servings: 6

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005. 6 main-course servings, with 12 garlic-rubbed croutons.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 Onion, large, thinly sliced
  • 2 rib Celery, medium, cut thinly on the diagonal
  • 8 clove Garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/3 cup White wine
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 3 pinch Saffron, threads
  • 8 cup Fish stock, or shrimp stock, or a combination
  • 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes, crushed
  • 1 Orange, juiced, plus 2 (3-inch) strips of zest
  • 2 Fennel, bulbs, 1/3-inch crosswise slices (about 3 cups)
  • 3/4 cup Tomato, fresh, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more for the fish
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 1/2 lb White fish, firm fillets such as halibut, snapper, grouper or cod
  • 1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp Parsley, fresh leaves, chopped
  • 12 slice Bread, crusty French, 1/2 inch thick, for the croutons
  • 1/4 cup Olive oil, extra-virgin, for the croutons
  • 1 clove Garlic, large, halved, for the croutons

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over low heat and cook the onion, celery and garlic until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the wine, tomato paste, saffron, stock, red pepper, orange juice and zest. Simmer uncovered about 45 minutes, until reduced by about a third.
  3. Add the fennel and tomatoes and cook until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes. Season.
  4. Season the fish and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Add with the shrimp and parsley and cook, stirring only once or twice, until the fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  5. Croutons: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bread with the olive oil, season and bake until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Rub each with the cut garlic while warm. Serve the soup in shallow bowls with the croutons.