MaryLee's Healthy Food and Easy Cooking - Fish and Seafood Soup

Hello,

Keeping with light, easy meals, here is another dish I think you will really enjoy. Recently I have been talking about soup and fish, this dish incorporates both.

Now I have mentioned that shell fish is high in cholesterol/fat, but I do enjoy it, only I keep it as a special treat rather than having it regularly.

Fish and Seafood Soup is such a nice soup and truly enjoyable especially with crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 4 – 6 depending on if it is a starter or dinner

1 medium onion thinly chopped
1 medium fennel bulb thinly chopped
2 cloves garlic thinly chopped
2 - 400g tins chopped tomatoes or 10 medium ripe tomatoes blanched and skinned
2 tbls (tablespoon) tomato paste
2 - 8 oz fillet white fish Halibut, Cod, Sea Bass (meaty fish) chopped 1 inch cubes
2 - 8 oz fillet salmon chopped in 1 inch cubes
15 fresh clams
15 fresh mussels
15 fresh large shrimp or prawns peeled
1 bay leaf
1 tbls light oil
3 cups fish stock

In large saucepan heat oil add onion, fennel and garlic and stir until soften do not brown. Add tomato paste and mix thoroughly, then add the tomatoes fish stock and bay leaf. Simmer about 30 minutes.

Add the cleaned clams and mussels once they have opened, approx. 10 minutes (remove any that have not opened) then add the fish and prawns, continue to simmer about 5 – 10 minutes. Season with ground black pepper and sea salt if needed. Serve with crusty bread.

To clean the clams and mussels use a brush and under cold water scrub the whole area and with the mussels be sure to pull off the beard.

If the clams or mussels are open tap them, if they do not close then disregard them.

As an alternative to crusty bread, you can also buy ready made pizza dough or make it yourself, lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and chopped lemon thyme. Bake in 350 F / 170 C oven till golden brown to serve with soup.

If you are really watching your cholesterol and fat then only use fish and not the shell fish, however increase the fish portions.