Mediterranean Seafood Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb)fresh clams, scrubbed
• 225 g (8 oz)monkfish fillet, cut into chunks
• 350 g (12 oz)red mullet or snapper fillet, cut into chunks
• 600 ml (2½ cups)fish stock
• 1bay leaf
• 1 sprigfresh thyme
• 1fennel bulb, halved and sliced
• 1red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 8plum tomatoes, halved
• 1onion, cut into wedges
• 4 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 120 ml (4 fl oz / ½ cup)white wine
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)olive oil
• 5 ml (1 tsp)fennel seeds
• A pinchdried chilli flakes
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)Pernod
• To tastesalt and ground black pepper
• 225 g (8 oz)waxy potatoes, sliced
• 1mini French stick (baguette)
• To garnishfennel fronds
• A fewsaffron threads
• 150 ml (⅔ cup)mayonnaise
• A dashTabasco sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Steam the clams

   Put the clams and white wine in a pan. Cover and cook over a high heat for 4 minutes, or until the clams open.

2. 2

   Reserve the liquor

   Drain the clams, strain and keep the cooking liquid. Discard any clams that remain closed, set aside 8 in their shells, and remove the shells from the rest.

3. 3

   Cook the aromatics

   Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes, and sauté for 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Simmer the vegetables

   Add the fennel, red pepper, tomatoes and onion. Pour in the reserved clam liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Cook the potatoes

   Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and fish stock. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes.

6. 6

   Mix the rouille

   Pound the saffron threads into a powder, then stir them into the mayonnaise with the Tabasco sauce.

7. 7

   Add fish and Pernod

   Add the fish and Pernod to the soup and simmer for 3–4 minutes.

8. 8

   Finish the soup

   Add all the clams and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the bay leaf and thyme, then season with salt and pepper.

9. 9

   Toast the bread

   Cut the French stick into thin slices and toast both sides.

10. 10

    Serve the soup

    Spoon rouille onto the toast. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fennel fronds and serve with the toasts.

What is Mediterranean seafood soup?

This is a coastal-style fish soup built around shellfish, firm fish and a fragrant vegetable broth. It draws on flavours found across Mediterranean cooking, including fennel, tomato, herbs and a splash of anise-scented Pernod.

Here, potatoes make the broth more substantial, while saffron mayonnaise toast gives each serving a rich, savoury accompaniment.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 728 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The potatoes and vegetables supply most of the carbohydrates, while the fish and clams provide protein. Olive oil and mayonnaise contribute much of the fat; serve with extra vegetables or a simple salad if you would like to balance the meal with more greens.

Build flavour in stages

Aromatics first: garlic, fennel seeds and chilli briefly warm in olive oil to release their flavour without needing to brown.

Vegetables next: the fennel, pepper, tomatoes and onion simmer with the strained clam liquor, which brings the shellfish flavour into the base before the fish is added.

Keep the seafood tender

Clams first: cook them just until they open, then remove them from the heat and strain their liquid. Any that stay shut should be discarded.

Fish last: add the chunks near the end and simmer for only 3–4 minutes, followed by the clams for 30 seconds. This short finish helps keep the fish moist and the clams from turning tough.

Check the potatoes and broth

Potato cue: after 15–20 minutes covered, the slices should be tender when pierced but still hold their shape.

Broth cue: the vegetables should be soft and the stock infused with their flavour. Taste after removing the herbs, then adjust the seasoning before serving.

Make the saffron rouille

Fine saffron: pound the threads into a powder before mixing them with the mayonnaise, so their flavour is spread through the sauce.

Toast topping: spread the rouille on the toasted baguette just before serving. The crisp bread gives a contrast to the broth and can be dipped into the bowl.

Serve it while hot

Bowl it up: ladle the soup with a mix of fish, vegetables and clams, including one of the reserved shell-on clams where possible.

On the side: serve the fennel-frond garnish and rouille toast alongside the bowls. The baguette is useful for soaking up the remaining broth.

Recipe notes & tips

• Scrub the clams well before cooking to remove grit from their shells.
• Strain the clam cooking liquid carefully before adding it to the vegetables.
• Cut the fish into similarly sized chunks so they cook at roughly the same rate.
• Keep the soup at a gentle simmer once the fish goes in rather than boiling it hard.
• Toast the baguette while the soup finishes, then top it with rouille just before serving.

Variations

• Choose the fish: use either red mullet or snapper as listed, depending on what is available.
• Adjust the heat: add less chilli or Tabasco for a milder bowl.
• Change the bread: serve the rouille on another crusty baguette if a mini French stick is unavailable.
• Add more fennel: use extra fronds as a fresh garnish if you have them.
• Skip the Pernod: leave it out for a less anise-scented broth.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cooking clams too long: remove them as soon as they open so they do not toughen.
• Using closed clams: discard any that remain shut after cooking.
• Adding fish too early: wait until the potatoes and vegetables have cooked, then simmer the fish for just 3–4 minutes.
• Boiling after adding fish: keep the heat gentle to help the chunks hold together.
• Leaving grit in the broth: strain the clam liquid before pouring it into the soup base.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup promptly in a covered container and use within 1 day. Reheat gently until piping hot, taking care not to boil the seafood; store the toast and rouille separately.

Frequently asked questions