Teresa’s French-style fish soup

SOUP

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Wash and dry the fennel and slice thinly. Peel and dice the carrots and parsnip. Remove the thick green tops from the leek, halve it, rinse thoroughly, dry, and slice.

Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onions briefly. Add fennel, carrots, parsnip, and leek. Fry for 2–3 minutes over medium heat. Add the spices, crushed chili, and tomato paste. Stir for a couple of minutes, then add the wine and fish or shellfish stock. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes until the root vegetables are tender but still slightly firm.

Add lemon juice and zest, then the diced fish and seafood. Bring just to a boil again, remove from heat, and stir in the dill. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Cover with a lid and let rest.

Halve the lemons and roast the cut sides on a hot frying pan until caramelized. Prepare the aioli. Serve the fish soup with roasted lemon juice, saffron aioli, and good country bread.

Tip: For a vegetarian version, use smoked tofu. Dice the tofu and fry in oil until golden brown all over. Season with grated lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Add to the soup at the end so the tofu has time to heat through.

SAFFRON AIOLI

Place all ingredients except oil into a narrow mixing container. Place the hand blender in the container, pour in the oil, and start blending. When the mixture begins to thicken at the bottom, slowly lift the blender upwards. Once the aioli is pale and even in texture, it’s ready. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Tip: You can also take a shortcut and use good-quality store-bought mayonnaise. Season it with Dijon mustard, lemon, and saffron. Add a pinch of salt if desired.