Serves 8

Mixed bouillabaisse fish 1kg (this consists of the fish meat and bones, separated – ask your fishmonger)
Olive oil 500ml
Mirepoix (diced celery, leek, carrot and onion) 1kg
Fennel 1 bulb
Garlic 1 head
Plum tomatoes 1 800g tin
Tomato purée 2 tbsp
Red wine 1 bottle
White wine 1 bottle
Pernod 250ml
Star anise 4
Harissa paste 2 tsp
Dried orange peel 1 piece
Fresh thyme a sprig
Saffron a pinch
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large thick bottomed pan. Add the mirepoix, thyme, fennel and garlic and cook down until soft and translucent.

2. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the purée starts to go darker.

3. Add the wine, saffron, star anise, orange peel, harissa and tinned tomatoes and cook for a further 20 minutes.

4. Add the fish bones, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.

5. Add the Pernod then check the seasoning.

6. Leave to stand for 1 hour, then push all the soup, including the bones, through a vegetable mouli and then pass through a sieve.

7. To serve, bring the soup back up to a simmer, then place the fish meat and clams in the soup to cook for 4-5 minutes.

8. Serve with chopped parsley to garnish, plus rouille coutons and grated gruyère if desired.

Hotel Du Vin
The Sugar House, Narrow Lewins Mead, Bristol, BS1 2NU.

Tel. 0117 9255577.
http://www.hotelduvin.com