Classic French Fish Soup with Croutons and Garlic Mayonnaise

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 or 4 sprigs of thyme
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
4-5 cloves
1 medium bulb of fennel, halved and medium diced
2 fresh bay leaves
10 Prawns, skins and heads for the broth, meat for the soup
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 cloves of garlic, very finely sliced
1 cup (200ml) dry white wine
1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes
Pinch of saffron
Juice of one orange
5 cups (1.2 liters) store-bought fish stock
1 lb (500g) sea bass, sea bream, gurnard, sole, plaice, or a mixture, filleted, skinned and cut into large pieces
6oz (170g) Mussels
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Flour
Splash of brandy
Baguette
Splash of olive oil
Shredded cheese, to taste

For the garlic mayonnaise:
8 tbsp store-bought mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s
1 tsp hot Tunisian chili puree
2 anchovies, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Small squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Pour the olive oil into a large pan or soup pot. Over a medium heat, sauté the carrot, celery, thyme, star anise, cloves, fennel, bay leaves, fennel seeds, parsley, and the skins and heads of the prawns for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until nearly tender. Add the white wine and allow it to cook down for a few minutes.

2. Pour in the store-bought fish stock. Add the chopped tomatoes, saffron, and the orange juice. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

3. Next, make the garlic mayonnaise. Put the Tunisian chili, mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice into a bowl and mix them together. Finely chop the anchovies together with the garlic. Purée the anchovies and garlic with the side of the knife. Stir in the garlic and anchovies and put to one side.

4. Pour all of the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Press against the ingredients caught in the strainer to make sure every drop of broth can be collected.

5. In a new pot, stir the butter and flour until they are evenly mixed. Add the strained broth back into the pot, a little at a time. Add a splash of brandy.

6. While the broth reduces, slice the baguette and dab olive oil on one side of each slice. Place the slices of baguette into a pre-heated oven at 355°F (220°C) for 10-15 minutes or until they are crispy and dry enough to use as croutons.

7. When the broth begins to bubble, add your fish, along with the peeled prawns and mussels. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until the fish is just cooked.

8. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. On your croutons, spread a dollop of garlic mayonnaise and sprinkle some of the shredded cheese. Place these on the soup.

Enjoy!