Fish Soup

By Jan_Toppel

Terrific soup for a cold winter evening

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound halibut - in cubed size pieces
• 1-1/2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1 large onion halved and slinly sliced
• 1/2 28oz can plum tomatoes, drained
• 2 8oz bottles of clam juice
• 3/4 Cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 piece of orange peel strip
• 1/8 tsp. crushed fennel seeds
• 1/8 tsp. dried pepper flakes (cayenne)
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 Cup orzo - uncooked
• 1 pound clams - cooked
• or one can of baby clams
• minced parsley to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Mix halibut in lemon juice and two tsp. olive oil in bowl. Let stand while preparing the soup.
Heat 2 Tbl. oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes)
Squeeze tomatoes through your fingers while adding to saucepan. Add clam juice, wine, bay leaf, orange peel, fennel and pepper flakes.
Simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add orzo and cook 5 minutes. Add clams to soup, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add halibut and cover and cook until halibut is opaque - approximately four minutes.
Discard bay leaf and orange peel.

Spoon soup into bowls and garnish with parsley and serve hot.