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Italian chef Giorgio Alessio shares his secrets for a perfect fish soup, the 'Cucina Povera' of the Yorkshire coast.

Fish Soup

Fish soup makes a a great starter for larger meals or can be turned into a mean meal in its own right if served with crusty bread.

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Tips and techniques

1. Stir the fish as little as possible - over-stirring makes the fish disintegrate.
2. Use as little flavouring as possible - don't swamp the flavour of the fish.
3. Source fresh local fish - ask your fishmonger for cheaper cuts.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 carrot
• 1 garlic clove
• 6 very ripe tomatoes, chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 litre water
• 1 glass dry white wine
• 1 medium sized John Dory fillet
• 2 small red mullet fillets
• 1 baby squid
• 100g ling fillet
• 100g monk fish fillet
• 2 gurnard fillets
• 100g hake fillet
• 1 boneless skate wing
• 2 medium sized brill fillet
• 2 dab fillets
• Bread cut into large croutons

Serves 4 as a hearty meal with bread

Preparation method

Boil the water in a pan.

Finely chop the onion, celery, carrot and garlic.

Heat a dessert spoon of olive oil in a separate pan and add the chopped ingredients. When they start to brown add the squid and cook for a few more minutes.

Add a glass of wine and simmer for a few minutes the add the tomatoes and butter.

When this starts simmering, add the fillets of John Dory, monk fish and dab.

When the meat changes colour start adding the hot water and allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes. Do not stir or you will break the fish into pieces.

Add the rest of the other fish and cook for a further 20 minutes (do not stir) and then take of the heat.

Deep fry the bread in the extra virgin olive oil until brown, drain and put in the bottom of the bowl place the soup on top of the bread and leave for a couple of minutes to soften the bread. Then serve.