Tomato and Fish Soup With Pasta

by Chef Lucia Watson

This is one of the most adaptable soups I’ve found. I usually use a firm white-fleshed fish like pike, walleye, or burbot, but trout or salmon works well to.

To serve 4 to 6. . .

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
pinch saffron
1 tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dry thyme
1/2 c. white wine
6 c. chicken stock
2 c. firm-flesh fish, cut into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper
2 oz. vermicelli, broken into 2-inch lengths
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dry)

•Heat the olive oil in a heavy stock pot. Then add the onion, garlic, celery, and leek. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, ­stirring occasionally.

•Add the tomatoes, saffron, wine, thyme, stock, salt and pepper to taste. Cook at a low simmer for about 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to develop.

•Add the vermicelli and cook 10 minutes or until tender but not quite done. Next add the fish and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and basil. I serve this soup with French bread. Drizzle additional olive oil over the soup at the end. Tomato Fish Soup