Italian Seafood Soup

The Italians are renowned for their relaxed lifestyle - here is an Italian Seafood Soup recipe that will have you dreaming of balmy Italian evenings.

In this recipe, you need to make a seafood stock. You will use the trimmings from the white fish and the prawn (shrimp) shells.

So to begin - make your stock.

Stock for Italian Seafood Soup

1 3/4 pints (1 litre)water
shells from your prawns (shrimp)
Trimmings from your white fish
1 bay leaf
1/4 tspn dried thyme
6 black peppercorns

Place all ingredients in a large pan and simmer for about 25 minutes. Skim off and strain.

Italian Seafood Soup

3 tbspns olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick celery, destringed and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
14 oz (400g) can chopped plum tomatoes with the juice
1lb (450g) fresh mussels (bearded and cleaned)
1/2 lb (225g) clams - either fresh or a small can with juice
1/2 pint (300ml) white wine
1/2 lb (225g) mixed white fish cod, haddock, monkfish, halibut
Salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Fry until soft.

Add the tomatoes and cook a further five minutes. Turn into a processor, blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, push through a sieve.

Cook the mussels and clams in the wine - discarding any that do not open. Remove from the liquer and set to one side.

Strain the cooking liquid.

Now combine the stock and tomato sauce in a large pan, add the wine and adjust the seasoning.

Add the white fish and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the mussels and clams and heat the soup for about 2 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread - delicious - a true Italian Seafood Soup

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