Cream of Seafood

Seafood cream soup is a wonderful recipe to enjoy at Christmas celebrations, as well as on Sundays and other holidays. This recipe is brought to us by Luisa, author of Cocinando con mi Carmela, and I'm convinced you'll love it.

At this time of year we all spend many moments with family or friends, and without a doubt where we enjoy these days most is around a good table. We also enjoy the kitchen, preparing for our loved ones classic recipes, original ones, or those that have always been a tradition at home.

Today's recipe is a true classic from the north of Spain and since I have good genes from those lands, what better way to pay tribute than with a delicious seafood cream?!

The important thing for this recipe to turn out well, thick and flavorful, is the quality of the ingredients, and of course the simmer: make it patiently, let it take its time. Having said that, the recipe is simple.

Now I hope you go to your nearest market and buy these wonderful ingredients and get to work.

Black cocotte 24cm Le Creuset, fleur de ligne bowls by Tokyo Design and Nezumi plates

Ingredients

• 500gr mussels
• 300gr hake
• Hake or monkfish head and bones
• 300gr prawns
• 80gr extra virgin olive oil
• 50gr brandy
• 300ml water
• 1 onion
• 1 leek
• 250gr crushed natural tomato
• Salt and pepper

Black cocotte 24cm Le Creuset, fleur de ligne bowls by Tokyo Design and Nezumi plates and bowls

Preparation

1. First we start by peeling the prawns, reserving the bodies and about 10 heads.
2. Now we are going to make the fish stock. For this, in a casserole we put the hake head, prawn shells and mussels, cover with water, add salt and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain and set the broth aside.
3. Separate the mussels from the shells and set aside.
4. Now we prepare a prawn concentrate. For this, in a frying pan we add oil and the reserved heads, we brown them stirring with a spatula and squeeze them to release their juice.
5. We add brandy and a little stock and let cook for a few minutes.
6. Strain and reserve the broth we obtained.
7. We sauté in a casserole the chopped onion and leek with the rest of the oil. When they are well softened we add the crushed tomato, season with salt and pepper and leave for about 15-20 minutes. Once the tomato has finished cooking we add the reserved stock and let it cook for a few minutes so all the flavors combine. Finally we add the hake and prawns, reserving some to garnish.
8. After about 10 minutes, we remove broth and set aside; add it later if the cream is too thick.
9. We blend everything with a food processor or blender.
10. Season again with salt and pepper if needed and add broth if it has become too thick.
11. To garnish, we place a couple of shrimp cooked on the griddle or boiled, a few basil or mint leaves, and it's ready to serve.

Tips

• You can use the type of seafood and fish you like most.
• Blend more or less, depending on how you like the texture.
• If you want to cook the mussels separately you can do so, but don't throw away that broth because it will also serve to add to the sauté.
• You can serve the soup in some pretty bowls or in tureens; the red ones from Le Creuset will make any cream shine.

Well I hope you like the recipe.

Luisa.