Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 2 banana shallots
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 1 fennel bulb
• trimmed
• roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2kg/4lb 4oz fish bones (if using fish heads
• ask your fishmonger to remove the gills)
• 300g/10½oz prawn shells and heads
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
• 400g/14oz canned chopped tomatoes
• 500g/1lb 2oz passata
• 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 1.5 litres/2½pints chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small dressed crab (optional)
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 1 small unbaked ciabatta
• cut into 6-8 thin slices
• splash olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 75ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 75ml/3fl oz vegetable oil
• large pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• freshly squeezed lemon juice
• to taste
• 6-8 bantam eggs (available from farm shops)
• splash of white wine vinegar
• 75g/3oz gruyère
• grated
• parsley or chervil sprigs
• to garnish

Directions

• For the fish soup
• heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion
• shallots and fennel for 8-10 minutes
• or until softened
• then add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 1-2 minutes
• stirring well.
• Add the fish bones and fry for a further 4-5 minutes
• stirring well.
• Add the prawn shells and heads
• tomato purée
• chopped tomatoes
• passata
• mixed herbs
• stock and caster sugar and stir until well combined. Bring the mixture to the boil
• then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 30 minutes. Once cooked
• set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile
• for the rouille-topped crostini
• place the slices of ciabatta onto a baking tray. Brush each slice with a little olive oil and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Set aside.
• To make the rouille
• blend the garlic and egg yolks in a food processor with a pinch of salt.
• Mix together the vegetable and extra virgin olive oil. With the motor still running
• gradually add the oils to the egg mixure in a thin stream until the mixture becomes thick and smooth.
• Add the cayenne pepper
• tomato purée and lemon juice and blend again until smooth. Set aside.
• Once the fish soup has cooled
• blend the mixture to a smooth purée using a hand-held blender
• then strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl
• helping the mixture through the sieve using the back of a wooden spoon. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Just before serving
• reheat the fish soup gently
• stirring in the crabmeat (if using) and cream.
• Meanwhile
• poach the bantam eggs. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil
• add the eggs (still in their shells) and boil for 20 seconds. Remove the eggs from the water.
• Add a splash of white wine vinegar to the boiling water and stir to form a vortex. Crack one of the eggs into the centre of the vortex and poach for 2-3 minutes
• or until the egg is cooked to your liking. Remove the poached egg from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs.
• Top each crostini with a teaspoonful of rouille and a little grated gruyère. Top each with a poached bantam egg and garnish with a sprig of parsley or chervil.
• When the soup is warmed through
• ladle into bowls. Serve the rouille-topped crostini alongside
• or float them on top of the soup.