Mediterranean Fish Soup with Bulgur and Saffron
A fish soup with the soul of a bouillabaisse but far simpler to make: saffron perfumes the broth, the peppers bring sweetness and the bulgur turns it into a full meal.
The order follows a rule that is almost always right with fish soups: the fish cooks last and then comes back out. Five minutes is enough. Left in the pot while the bulgur swells for twenty, it falls apart into threads and disappears into the broth.
The saffron goes into the marinade rather than the pot, so the fish carries it rather than just the liquid.
Ingredients
- 1 kg firm white fish fillets with good texture (such as hake, cod or pollock)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 saffron threads, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp salt (for the marinade)
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
- 3 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 l water (8 cups)
- 50 g fine bulgur wheat
- 20 capers
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- 1
In a large bowl, lay out the fish fillets and sprinkle them with the lemon juice. Add the crumbled saffron threads and the half teaspoon of salt. Fold gently so as not to break the fish and leave it to marinate for 15 minutes.
- 2
In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the red pepper strips and cook them for 8-10 minutes until softened. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- 3
In the same pot, with the now-fragrant oil, add the onions, the garlic, the tomatoes, the celery, the carrot, the bay leaf and the orange zest. Cook everything together for 5 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
- 4
Pour in the 2 liters of water and bring to a boil.
- 5
Cooking the fish: once boiling, carefully add the marinated fillets along with the cooked vegetables. Lower the heat and simmer for only about 5 minutes, just until the fish is done. Then lift it out and set it aside.
- 6
Add the fine bulgur to the simmering broth. Cook gently for 15-20 minutes, until the grain is properly tender. This is the twenty minutes the fish must not spend in the pot.
- 7
Stir in the capers and the cumin seeds. Break or divide the reserved fish into generous pieces and arrange them in warmed bowls.
- 8
Ladle the hot broth with the vegetables and the bulgur straight over the fish, and eat immediately.
Flavors of the Mediterranean: From Our Table to Yours
If one kitchen invites you to sit down at a long table and stay there, it is the Mediterranean. This is our personal selection of dishes that celebrate freshness, sun and good produce: recipes that smell of basil, lemon and sea. Technique in the service of simplicity — and dishes that come out right every time.
