Fish Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 1 stalk leeks (white and light green parts only)
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 carrots
• 200 ml dry white wine
• Sea salt
• black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tsp saffron (ground)
• 4 large shrimp
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 20 ml vermouth (e.g., Pernod)
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the fish and pat dry. Fillet, skin, and gut. Cut all fillets into bite‑size pieces. In a hot pot, briefly brown the fish bones (without gills) in 1 tbsp oil. Cover with 1 l cold water, add star anise, bay leaf, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes just below boiling point, skimming foam occasionally.

2. 2.

   Wash, trim, or peel the leeks, celery, and carrots. Slice the leeks into rings, cut the celery into rounds, and grate the carrots.

3. 3.

   Add the remaining oil to a hot pot and sauté the vegetables briefly. Deglaze with white wine. Strain the fish stock through a fine sieve and add it; bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, saffron, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Add water if needed.

4. 4.

   Wash the shrimp. Combine them with the fish pieces and parsley in the soup and let cook on low heat for a few more minutes—do not boil. Taste and adjust with vermouth, lime juice, salt, and pepper before serving.