Ingredients

• 2kg/4lb 8oz mixed fresh fish fillets and shellfish
• such as red mullet
• small sole
• gurnard
• monkfish
• sea bass
• cuttlefish
• baby octopus
• prawns
• mussels
• squid or scallops
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for drizzling
• 1 large onion
• finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• plus an extra clove for the toast
• 1kg/2lb 4oz ripe tomatoes
• skinned and chopped
• or 2x400g/14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
• 125ml/4fl oz red wine
• chopped fresh chilli
• to taste
• 3 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 slices good bread
• slightly stale or toasted

Directions

• If your fishmonger hasn’t already done so
• clean and prepare your chosen fish and shellfish. Cut fish fillets into large chunks and seafood into manageable pieces.
• Put the oil
• onion and garlic into a large pan and fry briefly.
• Add the tomatoes
• wine
• chilli
• parsley and fennel seeds and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Start to add large pieces of fish to the sauce first and those that will take the longest to cook such as monkfish
• then add the more tender fish such as red mullet or sole and the shellfish
• ending up with the mussels if using. Cook for five or so minutes
• or until the fish is cooked and the mussels have opened. (Discard any mussels that haven't opened.)
• Rub the bread with garlic
• drizzle with olive oil
• and put each slice in the bottom of a deep soup bowl. Pour over the soup and serve.