This is a curious, blended fish soup I’ve been making, in various forms, for many years. I like blended soups, which can seem creamy even without cream – although this one does have a little cream added at the end. They’re just, well, more refined than a typical country soup. And sometimes I feel the need for a touch of elegance, even on a busy midweek night. One of the things that makes this soup so lovely? It only takes about 30 minutes to make. Yet, eaten with fresh bread and a glass of wine, you feel like you’re sitting at an oceanside bistro in Provence; there is a similar soup made like this in the South of France. The flavor comes mostly from the stock (shellfish stock or a combination of fish stock and clam juice), the orange zest and saffron. You cannot substitute something else for the saffron; its color and aroma are integral to the soup. A pinch of cayenne adds the faintest zing that brings everything together. For fish I used a Pacific flounder. You can use any mild, white fish: Cod, haddock, any flatfish (flounder, fluke, halibut, sole, turbot, etc), walleye, bluegill, or rock cod. Blend this soup well. You want a smooth, silky texture, not a grainy one. I puréed the soup first with an immersion blender, then poured it into a regular blender to finish. In the past I’ve even passed it through a fine-meshed drum sieve to make it even smoother. But you need not go to such lengths. The soup will be just fine if it is well blended. Once its blended and you add the cream in, don’t let the soup boil; it could break. And if you have leftovers, just heat them gently in a pot until warm enough to eat. Serve garnished with bacon bits or dill fronds, and alongside some crusty bread. A dry rose or light red wine would go well with this; I’d suggest a Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir.
