Spicy Fish and Prawn Soup

Spicy Fish and Prawn Soup

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

• 1 stick celery, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, finely diced

• peel of ½ preserved lemon, finely diced

• 400g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 3cm chunks

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 litre chicken stock

• 400g can of chopped tomatoes in juice

• 3 tablespoons harissa (see below)

• 700g skinned, boned firm white fish diced 3cm

• 300g raw peeled prawns, each slit along the back, but not right through

• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

• small handful coriander, chopped

• very fresh warmed flatbread for serving

• Heat the oil in a large wide deep pan and add the onion, celery, carrot, preserved lemon, pumpkin and garlic.

Fry gently without browning for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the wine, turn up the heat and let it bubble for 20 seconds.

Add the stock, tomatoes and harissa, bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Add the fish and prawns and simmer 5 minutes or until just cooked

Stir in the lemon juice and coriander, taste and season with salt

Serve drizzled with a little more oil and with warm flatbread on the side.

Serves 6

Harissa

• ½ teaspoon pinch chilli flakes,

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon each, coriander and cumin seeds, separately toasted in a dry pan until fragrant and just darkening in colour, then ground to a coarse powder

• 1 bought roasted red capsicum, cored and deseeded

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put the chilli flakes, garlic, salt, toasted seeds, red capsicum and the oil into a small food processor and process until you have a thick paste.  Store excess in an air-tight container in the fridge. Will keep several weeks.