Soul-nourishing, spicy and tangy, this stew has a smooth, creamy broth base with chunks of tomato and fish. Like the classic French recipe, bouillabaisse, it uses all of the fish...
Soul-nourishing, spicy and tangy, this stew has a smooth, creamy broth base with chunks of tomato and fish. Like the classic French recipe, bouillabaisse, it uses all of the fish to bring depth of flavour, with the fillets added at the end.
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onion, celery, pepper, garlic, chilli and a large pinch of salt. Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the fish heads, scraps and bones, then the wine. Bubble until almost evaporated, then add 1 litre water and the thyme. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Take off the heat and pour into a blender (in batches if needed). Slowly at first, blend the broth and bones – take out the whole chilli first if you don’t want extra heat. Increase the speed until the mixture is ground to a near-smooth liquid.
Return the pan to a medium heat (no need to clean), add the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and cook for about 10 minutes to soften. Pour the whizzed broth through a fine sieve into the pan, pressing the solids with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Heat through for a few minutes, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the white fish fillets and sardine fillets into 4-5cm chunks and lower into the broth. Simmer for 1 minute, then stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until the fish is opaque. Serve drizzled with oil, with rice or crusty bread on the side.