Southern fish soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 700 g mixed fish fillet(s) (cod, monkfish, haddock, etc. – also frozen)
• 300 g seafood (frozen, e.g. squid rings, shrimp, mussels)
• 1,600 ml fish stock
• 180 ml white wine, dry
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 120 g leek, only the light green and white parts
• 4 beefsteak tomatoes or plum tomatoes
• 2 stalk(s) Celery (or 3 smaller stalks)
• 2 small onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bulb(s) fennel (large bulb)
• 2 carrots
• 1 piece(s) celery (small piece)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (triple concentrated)
• 1 bag of saffron (small bag)
• 2 juniper berries
• 2 carnations
• 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
• 1 sprig(s) thyme, fresh
• 1 sprig(s) oregano, fresh
• 3 tbsp Pernod
• 2 tsp peppercorns
• Salt
• some lemon juice
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

very easy

Thaw the seafood (and frozen fish if needed). Wash fresh fish and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add salt only after cleaning the vegetables; do not add salt! The quality of the seafood is also very important here! Clean the leeks, celery, celery stalks, onions, garlic, fennel, and carrots and cut them into not-too-long sticks (if you like, you can also add two potatoes). Wash, deseed, and dice the tomatoes. First, sauté the vegetables in hot olive oil, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Deglaze with white wine and fish stock. Add saffron and a little cayenne pepper. Now tie the juniper berries, cloves, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a tea bag and add them to the broth. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the broth and keep warm in a covered bowl. Bring the broth to a boil. Add the fish and seafood. Reduce the heat and let everything simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the herb bag. Season with Pernod, cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice. Arrange some vegetables on warmed plates and pour the fish broth over them. Serve with crisp, toasted baguette slices and a hearty aioli. Tip: Any leftover soup, once you’ve removed the fish, can also be easily frozen along with the vegetables. When needed, simply add the fresh fish to the thawed soup and let it simmer. Also not bad for unexpected guests or parties.