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Anise-Flavoured Seafood Stew

Anise-Flavoured Seafood Stew
Yields
8 servings

Mediterranean flavours are the highlight of this sumptuou seafood stew.

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ingredients

2
lb(s) trimmed and emptied rich, full-flavoured fish (such as rascasse, monkfish, bass or halibut)
2
lb(s) emptied delicate fish (such as haddock, flounder, red mullet, snapper or white ruffie)
2
lb(s) fish heads and bones, rinsed (roughly 1 large fish carcass)
4
quart water
½
cup olive oil
2
onions, diced
2
large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
1
fennel bulb, peeled, trimmed and chopped with green fronds reserved
6
tomatoes, seeded, peeled and diced
4
clove garlic, minced
1
bouquet garni (your choice of herbs tied together or in a small sachet)
1-½
tsp fennel seeds
2
large slices orange peel, pith removed, preferably dried
½
tsp saffron threads, crushed
salt and pepper to season
A splash of Pernod or white wine
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directions

Step 1

Chop the full-flavoured and delicate fish into large, bite-sized pieces. and refrigerate (keeping the full-flavoured fish separate from the delicate). Put the rinsed fish heads and bones in a large soup pot, pour the water over, bring to a boil, and simmer twenty minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid.

Step 2

Heat the oil in the same pot and fry the onions, leeks, and fennel until soft, 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, bouquet garni, fennel seed, orange peel, and saffron. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the fish stock, and simmer half an hour. Remove the bouquet garni and the orange peel.

Step 3

Bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Add the full-flavoured fish and cook 5 minutes. Add the delicate fish and the splash of Pernod and continue cooking until all the fish is tender, 5 minutes longer.

Step 4

Ladle into warm soup plates, sprinkle irreverently with parsley if you like, and top with a rouille-smeared croûte.

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