sea bass / red mullet / redfish, cut in large pieces
2
2 monkfishes, cut in large pieces
250g
jumbo shrimp
20
20
cockles
1
lemon, in 4 parts
2
Persons
Preparation
To make the saffron aioli, use a mortar and crush the garlic and salt until you obtain a paste. Mix the garlic paste, saffron, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and cool until use.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or pot over a medium heat and fry the garlic until glassy. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes, basil stalks (keep the leaves for later), fennel leaves and fish stock. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the moisture has slightly evaporated. Stir occasionally.
While everything is simmering, wash the mussels and cockles in plenty of cold water. Wipe off any dirt and remove the beards. Throw away any mussel or cockle that’s already open.
After the soup has boiled, turn off the heat source and mix the soup with a hand blender or carefully pour into a blender to mix them until completely smooth. If you wish, you can also sift the soup. Season with pepper and salt.
Heat the soup again in the same pan and add the fish, the largest pieces first. Then add the shrimp, cockles and mussels, pushing the seafood and putting a lid on the pan. Let the soup cook for 5 minutes on a low heat until the cockles and mussels have opened and the shrimps have turned pink. (Discard cockles or mussels that are still closed)
Heat a pan over a medium heat to toast the bread. Brush both sides with olive oil and place the bread in the hot pan. Toast both sides until the bread is golden brown and crisp. Spread a layer of saffron aioli on it.
Spoon the soup into bowls. Chop a few basil leaves coarsely and sprinkle over the soup. Place a slice of toast with saffron aioli with each bowl and serve with a lemon wedge.