Fish and Shellfish Marmite
- 1 lb cleaned mussels
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 3 tbsps fennel seed
- 3 small dried pepperoncino peppers
- coarse sea salt
- 6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 3 cups whole plum tomatoes in their juice crushed with your hands
- 4 cups fish stock
- 1 lb monkfish (or grouper), tail cleaned of outer membrane and cut into six pieces
- 1 lb filet of hake, cod or similar chunky white fish, skin left on and cut into six pieces
- 6 small filets red mullet or snapper
- 6 small filets sole rolled and pinned with a toothpicks
- 12 langoustine or large shrimp
For the fish stock
For this dish you really want to be dealing with a quality fish shop. You therefore should be able get the heads and bones of fish like cod, sole, bream, snapper or hake. A pound or so should do it. Put the fish into a large pot and cover with six cups of cold water. Add a sliced onion, a few peppercorns, bay leaf, celery leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and boil briskly for 20 minutes. Let cool and strain through a fine sieve.
Fish and Shellfish Marmite
In a large pot with lid, bring the white wine to a rolling boil and let boil for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the mussels. Cover and steam until the mussels just open. Remove from the heat and with a slotted spoon put the mussels in a bowl. Cover to keep warm. Put the mussel juice into a small pitcher to settle.
In a mortar and pestle crush the fennel seeds and dried peppers with a tablespoon of sea salt.
In a very large wide bottom sauté pan heat the olive oil and add the garlic slices. When the garlic just starts to turn golden, add the crushed fennel and, after a minute or two, the tomatoes. Let the broth cook over a fairly brisk heat for 15 minutes. Strain the mussel juice into the tomato sauce and add your fish stock. Reduce the heat and add the monkfish and grouper to the sauce. Let the fish gently poach for 5 minutes then add the mullet or snapper pieces and the sole. Tuck in the langoustine or shrimps and shake the pan gently to let everything mingle together. Reduce the heat to very low and cover the pan with foil or a lid. Let bubble for 5 minutes more.
Have six large warm shallow bowls ready. Put a large scoop of mussels in each. Gently lift out the fish and divide between the bowls. Taste the broth for seasoning and spoon over the top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve with a slice or two of warm bruschetta.
