• Restaurateur Fortunato Mazzone’s latest venture, Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium in Pretoria serves Italian charcuterie platters, among other Italian delicacies. He shares this chunky fish soup (brodetto di pesce) recipe, which serves two generously and warms the cockles on a cold day.

     

    INGREDIENTS

    Handful of cleaned calamari, sliced into chunks or rings

    6 queen prawns, deshelled

    6 mussels, deshelled

    Small fillet of white fish, cut into strips

    Extra-virgin olive oil

    Pinch of black pepper

    1 celery stalk, finely diced

    1 small onion, finely diced

    1 small carrot, finely diced

    1 bay leaf

    200 ml tomatoes, pureed (make this from Italian canned peeled tomatoes)

    200 ml basic vegetable stock

    25 ml lemon juice

    50 ml dry white wine

    Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Using a large frying pan, fry the onions, celery, and carrots in a generous slug of extra-virgin olive oil over moderate heat until glossy (we call this a classic mirepoix).
    2. Add all the fish and stir fry for two minutes.
    3. Add the white wine, lemon juice, and bay leaf and fry for another minute until the alcohol has evaporated.
    4. Add the tomato puree and the vegetable stock and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste.
    5. Add a handful of parsley at the last second and serve immediately with crusty bread.

     

    Chunky fish soup

    By Fortunato Mazzone Serves: 2

    Ingredients

    • Handful of cleaned calamari, sliced into chunks or rings
    • 6 queen prawns, deshelled
    • 6 mussels, deshelled
    • Small fillet of white fish, cut into strips
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Pinch of black pepper
    • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
    • 1 small onion, finely diced
    • 1 small carrot, finely diced
    • one bay leaf
    • Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
    • 200 ml tomatoes, pureed (make this from Italian canned peeled tomatoes)
    • 200 ml basic vegetable stock
    • 25 ml lemon juice
    • 50 ml dry white wine

    Instructions

    1

    Using a large frying pan, fry the onions, celery, and carrots in a generous slug of extra-virgin olive oil over moderate heat until glossy (we call this a classic mirepoix).

    2

    Add all the fish and stir fry for two minutes.

    3

    Add the white wine, lemon juice, and bay leaf and fry for another minute until the alcohol has evaporated.

    4

    Add the tomato puree and the vegetable stock and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

    5

    Add a handful of parsley at the last second and serve immediately with crusty bread.

    ALSO SEE: Try this hearty Seafood bouillabaisse

    Seafood bouillabaisse

     

    Feature Image: Unsplash