Red Mullet Soup with Toasted Almonds and Basil
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 small red mullet (each about 250g), gutted
5 tbsp mild olive oil
¼ fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced lengthways
200g medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 banana shallot, peeled and sliced lengthways
1 celery stick, trimmed and chopped
1 medium leek, white part only, washed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 medium potato (about 150g), peeled and quartered
2 star anise
1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp tomato puree
100ml Pernod
200ml dry white wine
2 plum tomatoes or 2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
Large pinch saffron threads
2-3 tsp freshly squeezed lemon
2 tsp plain flour
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE GARNISH
1 tbsp lightly toasted flaked almonds
Several tiny basil leaves or basil cress
1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Remove the eyes and gills from each of the fish. Cut 4 of the fish into three chunky pieces through the bone. Set aside. Cut the remaining fish into 2 fillets and then divide each fillet into four diagonally cut pieces. Put on a plate, cover with cling film and chill until required.
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a saucepan or flameproof casserole and fry the fennel, carrots, shallot, garlic and celery for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the leek, garlic and potato pieces to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the star anise, coriander seeds and cayenne pepper. Fry gently together for around a minute, stirring regularly. Next, add the tomato puree to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour over the Pernod and simmer until reduced by half.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the remaining oil in a large frying pan and cook the fish pieces for 5-6 minutes until golden on all sides. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Pour over the wine and simmer for around a minute, scrapping the pan with a wooden spoon to lift the sediment from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the cooking juices.
Tip the fish and wine into the pan with the vegetable mixture, stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the saffron threads. Pour 1.3 litres of cold water into the pan – the liquid should just cover the fish - and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and leave the fish and vegetables to simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the fish bones are very soft. Stir occasionally.
Remove the soup from the heat and blend with a powerful stick blender for 2-3 minutes until a thick, almost smooth puree is formed. Pass the mixture through a colander set above a large bowl, pressing hard with a ladle to press through as much as the fish and vegetables as possible. Next, pass the resulting puree through an even finer sieve and into a clean pan.
Return to the hob and simmer to reduce the liquid by about a third. Taste frequently until the required depth of flavour is achieved. Season to taste and add a little lemon juice to sharpen; warm through gently.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan on the hob. Lightly dust the reserved fish fillets in little flour – shake off the excess - and add to the pan, skin-side down. Fry for about 2 minutes until golden, then gently turn over and fry for a few seconds on the other side until just cooked.
Carefully place three fish pieces in a small pile in the centre of 4 warmed bowls. Ladle the soup around the fish and top with a few flaked almonds. Sprinkle with tiny basil leaves or basil cress, drizzle with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Recipe tips
Ask your fishmonger to remove the eyes and gills from each of the fish as they could make the soup taste bitter.
Crush the garlic cloves very lightly by squashing on a board with the flat side of a knife.
When sieving the fish, make sure you press firmly with the ladle to pass as much of the fish and vegetable puree as possible into the bowl or saucepan.
Boiling the soup after sieving will intensify the flavour.
If you buy really fresh fish, this soup can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead. Follow the method up to the end of step 7. Cool, cover and chill until required. Heat through gently and then bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until piping hot, stirring regularly. Either freeze and then defrost the fish fillets before pan-frying or keep very well chilled until ready to cook.
Tiny basil leaves can be taken easily from a growing basil plant – available from most major supermarkets.
INGREDIENTS
6 small red mullet (each about 250g), gutted
5 tbsp mild olive oil
¼ fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced lengthways
200g medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 banana shallot, peeled and sliced lengthways
1 celery stick, trimmed and chopped
1 medium leek, white part only, washed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 medium potato (about 150g), peeled and quartered
2 star anise
1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp tomato puree
100ml Pernod
200ml dry white wine
2 plum tomatoes or 2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
Large pinch saffron threads
2-3 tsp freshly squeezed lemon
2 tsp plain flour
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE GARNISH
1 tbsp lightly toasted flaked almonds
Several tiny basil leaves or basil cress
1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Remove the eyes and gills from each of the fish. Cut 4 of the fish into three chunky pieces through the bone. Set aside. Cut the remaining fish into 2 fillets and then divide each fillet into four diagonally cut pieces. Put on a plate, cover with cling film and chill until required.
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a saucepan or flameproof casserole and fry the fennel, carrots, shallot, garlic and celery for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the leek, garlic and potato pieces to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the star anise, coriander seeds and cayenne pepper. Fry gently together for around a minute, stirring regularly. Next, add the tomato puree to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour over the Pernod and simmer until reduced by half.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the remaining oil in a large frying pan and cook the fish pieces for 5-6 minutes until golden on all sides. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Pour over the wine and simmer for around a minute, scrapping the pan with a wooden spoon to lift the sediment from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the cooking juices.
Tip the fish and wine into the pan with the vegetable mixture, stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the saffron threads. Pour 1.3 litres of cold water into the pan – the liquid should just cover the fish - and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and leave the fish and vegetables to simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the fish bones are very soft. Stir occasionally.
Remove the soup from the heat and blend with a powerful stick blender for 2-3 minutes until a thick, almost smooth puree is formed. Pass the mixture through a colander set above a large bowl, pressing hard with a ladle to press through as much as the fish and vegetables as possible. Next, pass the resulting puree through an even finer sieve and into a clean pan.
Return to the hob and simmer to reduce the liquid by about a third. Taste frequently until the required depth of flavour is achieved. Season to taste and add a little lemon juice to sharpen; warm through gently.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan on the hob. Lightly dust the reserved fish fillets in little flour – shake off the excess - and add to the pan, skin-side down. Fry for about 2 minutes until golden, then gently turn over and fry for a few seconds on the other side until just cooked.
Carefully place three fish pieces in a small pile in the centre of 4 warmed bowls. Ladle the soup around the fish and top with a few flaked almonds. Sprinkle with tiny basil leaves or basil cress, drizzle with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Recipe tips
Ask your fishmonger to remove the eyes and gills from each of the fish as they could make the soup taste bitter.
Crush the garlic cloves very lightly by squashing on a board with the flat side of a knife.
When sieving the fish, make sure you press firmly with the ladle to pass as much of the fish and vegetable puree as possible into the bowl or saucepan.
Boiling the soup after sieving will intensify the flavour.
If you buy really fresh fish, this soup can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead. Follow the method up to the end of step 7. Cool, cover and chill until required. Heat through gently and then bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until piping hot, stirring regularly. Either freeze and then defrost the fish fillets before pan-frying or keep very well chilled until ready to cook.
Tiny basil leaves can be taken easily from a growing basil plant – available from most major supermarkets.
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