Blackbirds Fish Soup

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fruity olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced into half moons
2 pounds tiny red potatoes, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 1/2 gallons fish fumet (recipe follows)
1-2 # can of plum tomatoes in juice, drained and coarsely chopped
Pinch of saffron
2 tablespoons pernod or other anis flavored liquer
2 # black mussels, beard removed and rinsed
2 # white fleshed fish (bass, pike, white fish) cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, fresh
1 tablespoon thyme, fresh


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Fish Fumet
2 tablespoons butter
3 # white flesh fish bones, rinsed of any blood and coarsely chopped
1 cup fennel root
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup dry white wine
20 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 3/4 gallon cold water


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1. In a large saucepan add garlic, olive oil, onions, potatoes and cook covered over medium heat until onions are wilted, 8 - 10 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, pernod and saffron and cook uncovered until almost dry, approximately 10 minutes.
3. Add fish fumet(see recipe below), salt and pepper to taste, and bring soup to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 minutes.
4. Finish soup add mussels, fish and herbs and lightly boil until mussels open and fish flakes apart. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

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Fish Fumet
Yield: 1 1/2 Gallon


Melt butter in a medium sized heavy bottom sauce pan. Add fish bones and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add wine and reduce until almost dry.
Add remaining ingredients, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh seive (discard solids).
*Note: fumet can be made and refrigerated the day before.