Fish Soup With Tomatoes

By davidgoodman

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 tsp. finely minced garlic
• 2 c. finely chopped onions
• 2 c. finely diced, trimmed leeks, green part and all
• 1 c. finely chopped celery
• 1 tsp. (2 gm.) loosely packed thread saffron
• 1/8 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 3 c. crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. dried fennel seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt to taste, if desired
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 6 c. fish stock
• 2 small squid, about 3/4 lb. thoroughly cleaned
• 1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless blackfish, red snapper, monkfish, tilefish or other white-fleshed, non oily fish
• 18 littleneck clams
• 1 qt. mussels
• 2 tbsp. anise-flavored liqueur such as Pernod or Ricard
• 1/2 c. finely chopped parsley

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a deep pot with a heavy bottom and add the garlic and onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions are, wilted. Add the leeks, celery, saffron, red-pepper flakes and turmeric. Cook, stirring, about five minutes without browning. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Let simmer five minutes. Add the stock and continue cooking 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the bodies of the squid into rings; cut the tentacles into small pieces and set aside. There should be about one cup. Cut the fish into one-inch cubes and set aside. There should be about three cups. Thoroughly rinse the clams and drain. Set aside. Thoroughly rinse the mussels and drain. Set aside. When the soup mixture has cooked 10 minutes after the stock has been added, add the clams. Stir and let cook five minutes. Add the mussels and cook one minute. Add the fish, squid, Pernod or Ricard and parsley and cook one to two minutes. Do not overcook or the fish will become dry. Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately.