Name: Sopa Bullabesa de Almería by José Pizarro
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 Onion; Bulb of Fennel; 2 Tsp Smoked Pimentón de la Vera; Pinch of Saffron; 200ml White Wine; 50ml Pernod (or any Anise Liqueur); 300g Ripe Tomatoes; Half an Orange; 200ml Shellfish or Fish Stock; 400g Monkfish; 400g Clams, Cleaned; 500g Raw Prawns, Shell On; Olive Oil

Sopa Bullabesa de Almería by José Pizarro

The king of Spanish cuisine, José Pizarro, shares his Bullabesa- the pernod is the secret ingredient. Bit more expensive but worth it.

Spanish Dinner Party Stews

Soak your saffron in two tbsp of boiling water, then finely chop up your onion and fennel, saving the fennel fronds for later use.

Pour a generous glug of olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat and whack in your fennel and onion chunks. Cook these gently, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until softened.

Add in your pimentón and saffron along with it’s water, then add in the in the wine and pernod. Leave this to bubble for a couple of minutes, and soak up the delicious smells.

Peel and chop your tomatoes, zest and juice your orange, then add this all to your frying pan along with the stock. Have a taste to test your seasoning, then bring this all to a simmer.

Chop your monkfish into chunks. Add these chunks to the pan, then cook for a further 4 minutes before chucking in your clams and prawns. Leave this to cook for another 3 minutes until the prawns go a lovely pink and the clams open up (some won’t, but don’t stress, just discard them).

Scatter your fennel fronds over this, and serve with crusty bread to soak up the lovely broth. Gather your MOB round and tuck into this rich and simple feast.