Provencal Fish Soup Recipes

FISH SOUP PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Cut the fish into 1-inch cubes.
• Heat the oil in a heavy casserole or skillet. Add the onions, leeks, garlic, red and green pepper and the saffron. Cook, stirring over medium high heat, until wilted.
• Add the wine, canned tomatoes, water, thyme, bay leaf, anise seed, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the fish and the mussels; stir gently; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Make sure all the mussels are open. If not, cook a bit longer. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

FISH SOUP PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Remove any skin and cut the fish into one inch cubes.
• Heat the oil in a heavy casserole or skillet and add the onion, leeks, garlic, red and green peppers and the saffron and cook over medium heat until softened.
• Add the wine, tomatoes, water, thyme, bay leaf, anise seed, pepper flakes and salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for ten minutes.
• Add the fish and the mussels, stir gently and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove thyme sprig and bay leaf and taste for seasoning.
• If any mussels are unopened, cook for a bit longer.
• Sprinkle with basil (or parsley) and serve.

PROVENCAL FISH SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium stockpot, cook onion in oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook for additional 7 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Soak saffron in 1/4 cup white wine for a few minutes. Stir saffron wine, tomatoes, fish stock, thyme and bay leaf into onions. Bring to boil, lower heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf. Pass soup through food mill fitted with medium disk. Return soup to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Soup can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated.
• In small saucepan, heat anise liquor. Set it on fire, and allow alcohol to burn off. Pour anise liquor into soup. Stir in additional wine. Bring to boil. Serve immediately.

PROVENCAL FISH SOUP WITH SAFFRON ROUILLE

Steps:

• Wash leeks .
• Cook leeks, fennel bulb, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herbes de Provence, bay leaves, cayenne, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in an 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• While vegetable mixture cooks, cut fish crosswise into 2- to 3-inch lengths.
• Add tomatoes, wine, and zest to vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, then boil 30 seconds. Add fish, water, and tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fish completely falls apart, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Arrange baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and thoroughly dried, about 20 minutes.
• Force soup through food mill into a large heavy pot, discarding solids. Reheat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Mound rouille on croutons and put 1 in bottom of each soup bowl. Pour soup around croutons.

PROVENçAL FISH STEW

Steps:

• Drain chickpeas. If you used dried, reserve cooking liquid; if they are canned, discard the liquid and rinse the chickpeas. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add bread crumbs, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they're crisp and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet; increase heat to medium-high. When oil is hot, add garlic, olives, capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or two. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it darkens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Start adding spinach a handful at a time; keep stirring until all the spinach fits in the pan and starts to release its water; sprinkle with a little more pepper, then add the stock, chickpeas and red chile flakes if you're using them. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then stir in the squid and the shrimp. Cook until the seafood is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with bread crumbs and serve.