Seafood Soup

This bright red crowded seafood soup is welcome  anytime but I prepare it for sitting down with the family on Christmas Eve before we dash off to friends for mulled wine and mince pies and then on to carol service.  The taste is made special with the incorporation of not only a mix of shell fish but also saffron, mint, basil, Cayenne pepper, white wine, and Pernod into the thick rich tomato and fish stock base.  Crusty French bread is an essential accompaniment for mopping up soup left behind in your bowl.


Ingredients for 6 generous servings:

5 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 handful parsley, snipped into small pieces
1 tablespoon crushed saffron
3 cups/24 oz tomato puree
1 quart/1 litre water
4 fish stock cubes
1 cup/8 oz dry white wine
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
8 oz/250g sea scallops, quartered
1 packet raw shrimp, shelled (about one cup)
1 pound/500g raw cod, divided into 6 pieces
6 lobster tails/2 lobsters, cooked meat removed from the shells and cut into large bite size chunks
1 tin of clams including juice (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons Pernod

Heat the oil in a large pan with the shallots and garlic for about one minute; do not brown; stir frequently.  Add the parsley, saffron, tomato puree, water, fish stock cubes, wine, salt and pepper (to taste), mint, basil, and cayenne pepper.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add the scallops, shrimp, cod, lobster, and tin of clams; bring back to simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.

Stir in the Pernod and serve with crusty French bread.