FISHERMAN'S SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• Seafood Base
• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 Fresno chile pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• Fresh flat leaf parsley
• Soup base
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 anchovy filets
• 4 small ribs celery, chopped
• 2 starchy potatoes, peeled and chopped into small dice
• 1 red pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 bottle lager beer (about 6 ounces)
• 1 (28ounce) can diced tomatoes or chunky style crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound cod, cut into chunks
• 1 pound sea scallops
•  1 loaf ciabatta or other crusty bread of choice, for serving

DIRECTION

FOR THE SEAFOOD BASE

• Place the red onion, chile pepper, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves in a food processor and process ingredients into paste.

FOR THE SOUP BASE

• In a Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil and anchovies over medium high heat, when the anchovies melt into the oil add the seafood base and stir 3 to 4 minutes then add the celery, potatoes, and red pepper and cover the pot 4 to 5 minutes to sweat them out, stirring occasionally.
• De glaze the pot with beer.
• Add tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes or until it has reduced by a third, then turn off the heat, cool and store for a make ahead meal.

TO REHEAT

• Reheat over medium high heat.
• Crust up and warm bread in a hot oven.
• When the stoup comes to a boil, fold or nestle the cod and scallops into the liquid, and return to a bubble, cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through, then turn off the heat.
• Serve immediately with lots of bread for mopping.