Make it on the weekend and serve it with a side salad in individuals plates. You will need a bowl on the table for empty shells and some extra paper napkins. Young children may find the shell- fish a bit difficult to manage, so you might have to help them.

Fish Stock Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 fish heads
• 4 sticks celery with leaves, chopped
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 8 sprigs of each, thyme, oregano, parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 8 whole black pepper corns
• 6 cups water

Method

1. You can make the stock day before and keep it in the fridge until ready to make the rest of the soup. It will keep in the fridge for 3 days.
2. Heat oil in large heavy saucepan. Cook onion, garlic and celery for a few minutes, do not brown.
3. Add fish heads, herbs, bay leaves, peppercorns, wine and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer very gently, covered for 45 minutes.
4. Strain fish stock through fine sieve, discard fish heads and vegetables.
5. Leave to cool at room temperature then cover and refrigerate.

Soup Ingredients

• 1kg boneless, firm flesh fish fillets, cut into bite size pieces
• 20 green prawns, shelled and de-veined
• 24 mussels, washed, scrubbed and bearded
• 24 pippies or clams, washed and scrubbed
• 2x400g cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon powdered saffron
• 1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Make this on the day you want to eat the soup.
2. Put stock in a large heavy- based saucepan. Heat.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and saffron to stock. Bring to boil. Simmer covered very gently for 20 minutes.
4. Add prepared fish and shellfish to soup. Simmer covered until fish is cooked. This will only take a few minutes.
5. Season soup to taste.
6. Transfer soup into a large serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped parsley and portion it at the table.