Calorie count: 268
Greek legend has it that a fennel stalk carried the coal that passed down knowledge from the gods to men.
I couldn’t possibly say, but I do know that this marriage of fennel, firm fish and zingy orange verges on the divine.
Ingredients
Serves four:
For the fish stock:
500g fish off cuts (no oily fish) plus any bones
1 onion, quartered
1 celery stalk
trimmings of fennel bulb (see stew ingredients)
1 tbsp peppercorns
For the stew:
2 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 tsp coriander seeds
250ml fish stock
1 orange – juice and 2 strips of peel
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
½ tsp herbes de Provence or tarragon
pinch of saffron
salt and pepper
750g white fish fillet, such as pollock, monkfish or halibut
8 tiger prawns, shells on
fresh parsley
Method
1 To make your own stock, put fish off-cuts (if buying filleted fish, ask for the bones – you can freeze them for later use) in a deep pan.
2 Add the onion, celery, fennel trimmings and peppercorns and cover with water.
3 Simmer for about 45 minutes and strain, removing any froth.
4 For the stew, heat oil in a large non-stick saucepan and gently fry the onion, fennel, garlic and coriander seeds for 15 minutes, until tender.
5 Add fish stock, orange juice, orange peel and tomatoes, and add a tomato tin of cold water.
6 Add bay leaves, herbs and saffron.
Season and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
7 Add fish, monkfish first if using, prawns last.
8 Cover and cook for a further 4 minutes until fish and prawns are cooked through.
9 Serve piping hot and scattered with fresh parsley.
Note: A good stock is the backbone here – full of minerals, full of flavour
