Garlicky Fish Soup
Food & Wine
Garlicky Fish Soup
Food & Wine
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Broth 1 pound clams, mussels or lean white fish trimmings 4 cups water 1/4 cup dry white wine Soup 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads 1 tablespoon hot water 4 heads garlic (1/2 pound), separated into unpeeled cloves 1/2 cup finely chopped fennel 1 strip of orange zest 1/2 bay leaf salt 1/4 cup long grain white rice 3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons heavy cream freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil six 6-ounce skinless white fish fillets (striped bass, red snapper, sea bass, tilefish or halibut) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Directions: Make the seafood broth: Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes; strain the broth into a clean medium saucepan. Make the Soup: In a small bowl, combine the saffron and hot water; let stand for 15 minutes. Add all but one of the garlic cloves to the broth in the saucepan along with the fennel, orange zest, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over moderate heat and stir in the rice. Cover partially and simmer until the garlic is very soft, about 35 minutes. Strain the soup; discard the bay leaf and orange zest and transfer the remaining solids in the strainer to a food mill. Press to extract the puree of garlic, fennel and rice, leaving behind the garlic skins. In a blender, combine the puree with the soup and blend until smooth. Pour the soup into a large skillet and stir in the tomatoes, cream and the saffron mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Shortly before serving, in a mortar or on a work surface, pound the reserved garlic clove with 1/2 teaspoon salt until pureed. Transfer 1 teaspoon of the garlic puree to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Set aside for 10 minutes. Bring the soup to a simmer over moderate heat. Arrange the fish fillets in the soup in a single layer, cover and simmer gently until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the fillets to 4 warmed shallow bowls. Season the soup with salt, pepper and lemon juice and ladle it over the fish. Drizzle the garlic oil over the soup and serve at once. Makes 6.
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