BOUILLABAISSE

Bouillabaisse is the most famous of all Mediterranean fish soups, it is a rich and colourful mixture of fish and shellfish, flavoured with tomatoes, saffron and orange. If you cannot access fresh seafood it is ok to substitute (1.5 kg of frozen mixed fish red trout, whiting, snapper, monk fish, large raw prawns and clams). Cut the fish into large chuncks, leave the shell fish in their shells. Remove the pulp from 250 gm of well flavoured tomatoes, chop and place in a bowl. Soak a pinch of saffron threads in 2 tbs of hot water in a small bowl. Heat 6 tbs of rice bran oil in a large pan, add 1 peeled and sliced onion, 1 leek sliced ( white part only ), 1 stick of celery sliced and cook until softened. Then add 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 bouquet garni, grated rind of 1 orange, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, the chopped tomatoes, then the saffron threads with soaking water and 5 cups of fish stock. Season with salt and cracked pepper, bring to this to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Now add the shell fish and and continue to cook for 6 minutes followed by the fish chunks and cook for a further 8 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fish and shellfish to a warmed serving dish. Keep the the liquid simmering, to allow the fish oil to emulsify with the broth, add 2 tbs of tomato paste and 1/2 tsp of ground anise. Return fish and shell fish to the broth and serve with crusty French bread stick .