Bouillabaisse

Serves 6-8

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 5 ripe tomatoes, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 leek, finely chopped

• 1 fl oz (25 ml) olive oil

• 1 tablespoon orange zest

• 1 sprig fennel

• 1 sprig thyme

• 4 pints (2.3 litres) boiling water

• 2 sachets saffron

• 5 lb (2.3 kg) mixed fish, which can include: John Dory, Bass, Gurnard, Wrasse, Dogfish, Small, soft-shelled crabs, Saith, Weever fish

• Salt and pepper

• 1 pot rouille

• 1 pot aioli

• 2 lb (scant kg) plain boiled potatoes

Method

In a large pan, fry the onions, leek, garlic and tomatoes in the olive oil until golden. Then add the thyme, fennel and orange zest, mix in well and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Make sure the water is boiling furiously in readiness for the next phase- the boiling water, when mixed with the olive oil and vegetables, will liaise and thicken the resulting soup, which is essential for this dish.

Add the boiling water to the olive oil and vegetables over a high heat, whisking furiously for a minute or two, until the sauce thickens noticeably. Maybe add another slurp of olive oil at this time and keep boiling until you have the right consistency.

Add the fish - if they are unequal in size, start with the biggest first so that they all cook evenly. Season with salt and pepper, add the saffron and simmer until cooked - say, 10 or 15 minutes.

Lift the fish carefully from the sauce and remove the skin and bones. Arrange it in an attractive, shallow dish, and moisten with a cupful or two of the strained sauce. Strain the remainder of the sauce into a tureen and serve as a soup garnished with rouille and aioli. Then eat the fish with boiled potatoes and more aioli.