Sopa de Marisco (Seafood Soup)

  This hearty seafood soup contains all the colours and flavours of the mediterranean. It is substaintial enough to serve as a main course, but can also be diluted with stock and water,  to make an elegant eppetizer for six

Ingredients

olive oil

½ onion (or about ½ cup), finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves (or about 1-2 tbsp), minced

¼ fennel bulb (or about 1-2 tbsp), finely chopped

4 large vine ripened tomatoes (or about 2 cups), seeded and chopped

1 tin of peeled plum tomatoes

mixed seafood (prawns, large chunks of cod or any white fish, mussels)

½ cup white wine

seafood stock

1 tsp saffron

pinch of celery salt

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
fresh parsley for garnish

Method:

On medium heat, sauté the onions in olive oil until soft and translucent.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Add the garlic, tomatoes and fennel.  Season again with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lower the heat and sauté for several minutes to develop the flavours.  More olive oil can be added at this point. 

Add the peeled plum tomatoes, including the juice, the white wine and, if you’re cheating like me, the seafood stock concentrate.

Evaporate the alcohol then add the seafood mixture (add the mussels last).

Add enough water and cover. 

Bring to a boil then lower the heat. 

Add the bay leaf and sprinkle the saffron, celery salt and parsley evenly on top.  Stirring is not recommended, nor necessary, so as not to break up the fish. 

Cover and simmer until cooked.

Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve with warm bread.