Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan/gas 3). To prepare the saffron and garlic paste, take whole garlic heads and slice them in half horizontally. Place the halved garlic heads, cut side facing up, on a small baking tray. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over them and sprinkle with salt. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes until the garlic is tender. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until the garlic is golden brown.
While that’s baking, prepare the soup base. Dice the fennel, celery, and onion into small pieces and slice the red chili thinly. Heat some oil in a large saucepan, then add the diced vegetables. Grate the roasted garlic into the pan and toss in some fennel seeds. Mix everything well, cover, and let it sweat for around 10 minutes. Stir in the saffron and bay leaves, cooking for another 10 minutes until the vegetables soften. Next, pour in the Pernod and wine, bringing the mixture to a boil. Add the passata along with 400ml of water, bring back to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for 45 minutes so the flavours meld, then remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Once cooled, transfer the soup to a jug blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, doing this in batches if necessary. If the soup is too thin, let it reduce over medium heat until it reaches a consistency similar to pouring cream. Once done, set aside or leave to cool before chilling in the fridge until you need it. You can prepare the soup base up to three days in advance.
For the paste, pour the Pernod into a small saucepan and add the saffron. Bring it to a boil, add the olive oil, and warm gently. Remove from heat and let it cool.
When the garlic is golden brown, take the tray from the oven and squeeze the cloves into a pestle and mortar. Add a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and mash until it forms a paste. Gradually mix in the saffron-infused olive oil, stirring continuously. Transfer this mixture to a clean container and chill until ready to use.
To finish the soup, bring the base back to a boil in a large pan, then reduce to a gentle simmer, tasting for seasoning. Add the prepared pieces of fish and squid, gently poaching the seafood in the soup for about 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Once done, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the soup in bowls, placing the fish in the centre, and add a spoonful of the saffron and garlic paste on top. Garnish with extra parsley and serve alongside toasted slices of baguette and the remaining saffron and garlic paste.
Fish stew with roast garlic & saffron
Serves: 6 People
Prepare Time: 1 hr
Cooking Time: 1 hr and 45
Calories: 345
Difficulty:
Medium
Tasty Fish Stew
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan/gas 3). To prepare the saffron and garlic paste, take whole garlic heads and slice them in half horizontally. Place the halved garlic heads, cut side facing up, on a small baking tray. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over them and sprinkle with salt. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes until the garlic is tender. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until the garlic is golden brown.
While that’s baking, prepare the soup base. Dice the fennel, celery, and onion into small pieces and slice the red chili thinly. Heat some oil in a large saucepan, then add the diced vegetables. Grate the roasted garlic into the pan and toss in some fennel seeds. Mix everything well, cover, and let it sweat for around 10 minutes. Stir in the saffron and bay leaves, cooking for another 10 minutes until the vegetables soften. Next, pour in the Pernod and wine, bringing the mixture to a boil. Add the passata along with 400ml of water, bring back to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for 45 minutes so the flavours meld, then remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Once cooled, transfer the soup to a jug blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, doing this in batches if necessary. If the soup is too thin, let it reduce over medium heat until it reaches a consistency similar to pouring cream. Once done, set aside or leave to cool before chilling in the fridge until you need it. You can prepare the soup base up to three days in advance.
For the paste, pour the Pernod into a small saucepan and add the saffron. Bring it to a boil, add the olive oil, and warm gently. Remove from heat and let it cool.
When the garlic is golden brown, take the tray from the oven and squeeze the cloves into a pestle and mortar. Add a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and mash until it forms a paste. Gradually mix in the saffron-infused olive oil, stirring continuously. Transfer this mixture to a clean container and chill until ready to use.
To finish the soup, bring the base back to a boil in a large pan, then reduce to a gentle simmer, tasting for seasoning. Add the prepared pieces of fish and squid, gently poaching the seafood in the soup for about 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Once done, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the soup in bowls, placing the fish in the centre, and add a spoonful of the saffron and garlic paste on top. Garnish with extra parsley and serve alongside toasted slices of baguette and the remaining saffron and garlic paste.
