Dinner in a Fish Bowl

Whether it’s cioppino in San Francisco or bouillabaisse on the French Riviera, many of us have tasted fish and seafood soups only in restaurants, where they are served in grandiose tureens accompanied by sumptuous platters of seafood.

This might give you the impression that seafood soup is the type of dish made exclusively by chefs--complicated and expensive. In reality, these delicious soups have their roots in simple home cooking.

In homes throughout southern France, Italy and Greece, fish soups are frequently prepared in the Mediterranean style with leeks, onions, garlic, tomatoes and sometimes white wine, saffron and/or aromatic herbs.

Fish soups are one of the most economical ways to enjoy the fruits of the sea, because a relatively small amount of fish is needed for each portion. Since fish itself cooks rapidly, these soups are easy to prepare and they cook more quickly than most main-course soups. And fish soups are fairly low in fat--just a little olive oil is needed to saute the vegetables and flavor the broth.

In the Marseilles harbor market and along much of the French and Italian coast, fishmongers sell assortments of fish labeled simply “fish for soup.” Many recipes call for using as many types of fish as possible, but unless you are making a large quantity of soup, two or three kinds are enough. Of course, the most important rule is to choose fish that is fresh.

My favorite fish for soup are those that do not fall apart easily--monkfish or sea bass are great choices, and cod and halibut are good too. To them I like to add a small amount of scallops and shrimp--they require little preparation and contribute a festive touch.

Because of seafood’s brief cooking time, it is best to make a fish stock to give the soup a superior flavor. There is nothing mysterious about fish stock--you make it by cooking bony fish pieces in water for 15 to 20 minutes, then straining the liquid. Cooks in southern France simply use the heads and tails of the fish they’ve bought for the soup. Since our fish is usually sold filleted, you can ask for these inexpensive parts at the fish store; some stores give them away for free. A readily available alternative is reasonably priced “fish pieces for chowder,” our equivalent of the Marseilles “fish for soup.”

You can freeze homemade fish stock or even the soup base. Then all you need to do for a delicious last-minute meal is heat it and add the fish and shellfish a few minutes before serving.

Fish, shrimp, scallops and linguine in a saffron-scented broth make up this light, elegant main course. Serve the soup with a bowl of freshly grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese, if you like. If leeks are not available, substitute onion.

MEDITERRANEAN SEAFOOD SOUP WITH PASTA

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 medium leeks, white part only, split and sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 (28-ounce) can plus 1 (14-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, chopped

Quick Fish Stock

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon lightly crushed saffron threads

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 ounces fresh or dried linguine

8 ounces sea bass or halibut fillet, cut in 3/4-inch dice

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, or scallops, rinsed and halved, or 4 ounces of each

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

Heat olive oil in large, wide casserole over medium-low heat. Add onion, leeks and celery and cook until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Quick Fish Stock, bay leaf, saffron and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Discard bay leaf.

Cook linguine in large pan of boiling salted water over high heat until tender but firm to bite, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta and 8 minutes for dried pasta. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and set aside.

Bring soup to simmer. Add sea bass and scallops to soup. Simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until all seafood is just tender, about 3 minutes. Add linguine, parsley and thyme. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve hot. Makes 4 main-course or 6 first-course servings.

Although classic fish stock contains sauteed onions and herbs, this simple version works well for Mediterranean-style fish soups, because they already have enough vegetable and herb flavorings. Use the heads, tails and bones of any fish except such strong-flavored ones as tuna and mackerel.

Quick Fish Stock

1 pound fish bones or fish pieces for chowder

6 cups water

Rinse fish bones or pieces and put in large saucepan. Add water and bring to boil. Skim off foam. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, skimming foam occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain into bowl. Makes 4 1/2 to 5 cups.

Serve this savory soup with good, crusty bread--sourdough, French or Italian. Or, if you prefer, serve bowls of rice as an accompaniment.

LIGURIAN FISH SOUP

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, minced

1 celery stalk, minced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, preferably Italian

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 cups Quick Fish Stock

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger root, optional

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, optional

1 pound monkfish, skin removed, fish cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 pound sea bass, halibut, ling cod, scrod or cod fillets, cut into chunks

1/4 to 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, optional

Heat olive oil in wide saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and 1/4 cup parsley and saute until onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add wine and boil, uncovered, over high heat, stirring frequently, until nearly all liquid has evaporated.

Add tomatoes to pot and boil 2 minutes. Add Quick Fish Stock, salt and pepper to taste, ginger root and crushed hot pepper. Stir few seconds. Bring to boil. (If preparing ahead, remove from heat at this point and refrigerate or freeze.)

If soup was refrigerated or frozen, reheat to simmer. Add monkfish and bring to boil. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, Add sea bass and cook 2 minutes. If using shrimp, add and cook until shrimp changes color and fish pieces become opaque, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve hot. Makes 4 main-course servings.