Bourride Sètoise - Provence Fish Soup With Aïoli

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 kg monkfish or 1 1/2 kg other firm fish fillets
• 1/2 liter olive oil, approx
• 3 tomatoes, chopped roughly
• 2 onions, chopped roughly
• 13 garlic cloves, peeled & diced
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 orange, zest of, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 2 glasses wine
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 3 egg yolks
• salt and black pepper

Recipe

• 1 in a large pan bring to the boil the roughly chopped tomatoes and onions, 5 cloves of garlic, the thyme, saffron & orange zest.
• 2 add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil & one glass of wine plus 1 litre of water.
• 3 simmer for 20 minutes.
• 4 meanwhile, pound the remaining garlic to a puree in a pestle and mortar (or liquidise it if you are feeling lazy).
• 5 blend in 2 egg yolks and add salt and pepper.
• 6 gradually beat in the remaining olive oil in a thin stream, using a whisk, until you feel the aioli is thick enough.
• 7 add lemon juice to taste and leave on one side. (reward yourself for your efforts by drinking the other glass of wine!).
• 8 cut the skinned and boned fish into 1" chunks and add it to the saucepan.
• 9 poach for 15 minutes.
• 10 then remove the fish with a draining spoon and keep warm.
• 11 sieve the stock and discard the *vegetables.
• 12 return the stock to the pan and reheat gently.
• 13 take about half of the aioli and beat the remaining egg yolk into it. then slowly pour the warmed stock onto it, stirring constantly.
• 14 return this mixture to the pan and heat gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens slightly.
• 15 it should be like rather thin custard. don't let it boil, or it will curdle.
• 16 divide the cooked fish between serving bowls and pour the soup over it.
• 17 serve with thin slices of toasted french bread and the remaining aioli.
• 18 note: i serve the *vegetables - tomatoes, onions & garlic on the side as an extra vegetable.