Ingreadient :

• 1 small onion or 3 banana shallots
• 1 fennel bulb large chopped
• 1 celery stick chopped
• 1 small leek chopped
• 2 small carrots chopped
• 2 red peppers chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 50 ml dry vermouth
• 25 ml Pernod/pastis
• 500ml fish stock
• Small bunch parsley chopped
• 2 tins of good quality tomatoes
• Pinch of saffron
• Salt & black pepper
• 40g dried porcini mushrooms
• 100ml Olive oil
• 200g small waxy potatoes peeled
• 50g salted butter
• 50g small capers
• 1 lemon

For the fish

• 125ml dry white wine
• 50 ml olive oil
• 2 small size sea bass fillet
• 1 small monkfish tail
• 500g clams/mussels
• 1 small cooked lobster de-shelled
• 200g of any other white fish

Direction :

1. Put the dried mushrooms into 150ml of boiling water for at least 15 minutes to re-hydrate.
2. Chop all the vegetables, medium sized, not that important as we are going the blend the sauce.
3. In a heavy based pan on a medium-high heat, add the olive oil, then once hot add the onions, leek, fennel, celery & carrot. Sweat off for at least 5-10 minutes with no colour.
4. Then add the chopped tarragon, 2 of the garlic cloves chopped, turn the heat up, and add the pastis/Pernod and dry vermouth for 1 minute. This will deglaze the pan and give it a scrape with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the tinned tomatoes, the soaking porcini mushrooms and it’s liquid, add the fish stock and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to books and simmer for 20 mins to reduce by half. Once reduced, allow to cool for 5 minutes then blend with a stick blender or in a blender. The sauce should have the consistency of single cream and not be too thick. You can always add a little more fish stock if required to thin it out. It will keep in the fridge for two days or freezer for 1 month.
6. Chop the remaining two garlic cloves and the parsley, add together and mix in the capers. Put to one side for garnishing the stew
7. In a medium pan boil the potatoes in water with the saffron and a pinch of salt for 10 mins or until tender.
8. Now for the fish. Is shallow large pan with a fitting lid, add the olive oil, then add the fish, skin side down, the clams/mussels and the white wine, put the lid on and cook, giving a little shake now and again until the mussels/clams have opened, discard any that don’t.
9. Now add the hot fish stew base along with the cooked lobster, squeeze of lemon, put the lid back on and cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
10. Drain the potatoes and add a knob of butter along with the chopped garlic, parsley and caper mix. Give it a stir.
11. Ladle into warm bowls and place 3-5 butter potatoes on top. Drizzle with some good extra virgin olive oil.