Tomato-Based Fish Soup with Wild Icelandic Cod

Ever tried tomato soup with Icelandic cod? It’s one of those meals that fits either a warm spring day or a crisp winter evening. Have a go and tell us what you think (and what the weather’s like when you try it – us Icelandic folk are a bit obsessed with weather).

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, halved, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1½ cups fish stock
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 strips two-inch lemon rinds
• 2 lb skinless wild, Icelandic cod fillets
• ½cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring for 10 minutes or until onion softens slightly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring intermittently, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

Step 2
Add the tomato, fish stock, saffron, bay leaf and lemon rinds. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until soup thickens slightly.

Step 3
Cut the cod into 1 inch pieces, add to the soup and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until fish is cooked.

Step 4
Serve with a sprinkle of chopped basil and season with pepper. Serve immediately.