For company
Bourride with kingklip
A stunning and simple Provencal fish soup, thickened with aioli until it turns pale gold and velvety. My new favourite.
From The Food of France by Maria Villegas and Sarah Randell. I use kingklip — it is meatier and does not crumble like hake. Pricier, but fish in South Africa is expensive whatever you buy.
Method
- 01
Make the aioli: pound the garlic with salt, whisk in the yolks, then trickle in the olive oil whisking constantly until thick. Sharpen with lemon. Set half aside for the table.
- 02
Soften the leeks and fennel in the olive oil for 10 minutes without colouring.
- 03
Add the stock, wine, orange peel, bay and thyme. Simmer for 15 minutes, then season and strain if you want a cleaner soup (I usually leave the vegetables in).
- 04
Lower in the kingklip and poach gently for 6–8 minutes until just opaque. Lift the fish into warm bowls and keep it covered.
- 05
Whisk half the aioli with the extra egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk in a ladleful of hot broth, then return the mixture to the pan over the lowest possible heat, stirring until the soup thickens to a pale velvet. Do not let it boil or it will split.
- 06
Pour the soup over the fish, scatter with parsley and serve with toasted baguette and the remaining aioli.
Keep cooking
