West African Fish Soup 3

Ingredients

• 700 gfirm white fish
• 1onion
• 2tomatoes
• 1.5 Lwater
• 80 mlolive oil
• 1lemon
• to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Begin by preparing your ingredients. Finely chop 1 onion and 2 tomatoes. Cut the 700 g firm white fish into large chunks, ensuring they are roughly the same size for even cooking. Juice 1 lemon and set the juice aside.
2. In a large pot, heat 80 ml olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to let the onion brown, as this can alter the flavor profile of the soup.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot with the softened onions. Stir and cook until the tomatoes break down and release their juices, creating a fragrant base. This should take about 5 minutes, and you'll notice the mixture thickening slightly.
4. Pour in 1.5 L of water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully add the fish chunks to the pot, ensuring they are submerged in the liquid.
5. Allow the soup to simmer gently until the fish is cooked through. You'll know the fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish chunks.
6. Once the fish is cooked, taste the soup and season with fine sea salt and black pepper to your liking. Remember, the salt should enhance the flavors without overpowering them.
7. Finish the soup by stirring in the lemon juice. This will brighten the flavors and add a fresh, tangy note to the dish. Serve the soup hot, ideally with some crusty bread or rice on the side for a complete meal.