West African Fish Soup

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 about 5 cm pieces to hold their shape during cooking. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and set it aside for later use.
2. In a large pot, heat 80 ml olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion. Stir occasionally and cook until the onion becomes translucent and soft, releasing its sweet aroma, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot. Stir them into the onions and allow them to cook down, releasing their juices and breaking down into a thick, fragrant sauce. This should take about 10 minutes, and the mixture should have a deep, rich aroma.
4. Pour in 1.5 L of water into the pot, stirring to combine with the tomato-onion base. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. This forms the flavorful broth that will infuse the fish with taste.
5. Carefully add the chunks of fish into the simmering broth. Allow the fish to cook gently, ensuring the heat is not too high to prevent the fish from falling apart. The fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork, which should take about 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Once the fish is cooked, taste the soup and season with fine sea salt and black pepper to your preference. Remember, the salt should enhance the flavors without overpowering them.
7. Finish the soup by stirring in the reserved lemon juice. This will brighten the flavors and add a refreshing tang. Serve the soup hot, allowing the flavors to meld together, and enjoy it with family and friends as is traditional in West African homes.