Anthony Bourdain's Soupe de Poisson
Enjoy this classic fish soup from the South of France garnished with toasts slathered with garlicky rouille.
Ingredients
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6 tablespoons olive oil
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4 garlic cloves
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2 small onions, thinly sliced
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2 leeks, white parts only, washed and thinly sliced
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1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
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1 (14-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
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2 pounds tiny whole fish (like porgy or whiting), gutted but with heads intact
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6 cups water
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1 bouquet garni (1 parsley sprig, 2 thyme springs, and 1 bay leaf, wrapped in cheesecloth bundle)
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2 strips orange zest
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3 saffron strands
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Salt
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Pepper
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1 ounce Pernod
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Croutons
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Rouille
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Grated Parmesan
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, leeks, and fennel and let them sweat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, then add the small fish. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups of water, as well as the bouquet garni and orange zest. Stir well; add the saffron, salt and pepper, and Pernod. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for about an hour.
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Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool slightly. Taking care not to splatter or scald yourself, strain the liquid into the large bowl. In the pot, crush the heads, bones, and vegetables as much as possible, then pass them through a food mill in batches. Return the purée to the pot along with the strained broth.
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Heat the soup up over medium and serve with croutons, rouille, and some grated Parmesan on the side. The idea is to smear a little rouille on the croutons, float them in the soup as a garnish, and allow guests to sprinkle cheese as they wish.
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