Fish Soup - Kakavia

1 1/2 kg fish trimmings
3 l water
salt
whole peppercorns
2 lg onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 leeks (optional) - white part only
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery (with leaves)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cup chopped, peeled tomatoes
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs parsley
1 sprig thyme
750 g potatoes, peeled & sliced
chopped parsley

1 1/2 kg mixed whole fish
500 g green lobster tails
500 g large green prawns
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Obtain from the fishmonger fish trimmings such as heads and backbones.
Rinse well and place in a large pot. Add water, salt and 1/2 teaspoon
peppercorns and simmer for 2 hours. Strain stock and reserve.

Gently fry onion, garlic, chopped leeks, carrots and celery in oil
for 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, herbs tied into a bunch and
reserved fish stock. Season well with salt and freshly ground
pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and boil for
5 minutes.

Reduce heat, add fish pieces and simmer 3 minutes, then add lobster
pieces and prawns and simmer for 7-10 minutes until prawns turn
pink and lobster meat is cooked. Do not boil when shellfish are
added for they will toughen.

Pile fish, shellfish and potatoes in a serving dish, sprinkle with
chopped parsley and keep hot.

Serve soup in a tureen as a first course with crusty bread, then
follow with seafoods and potatoes served with lemon wedges and a
cruet of olive oil. Alternatively soup, potatoes and seafoods may
be served together in deep plates.

NOTE: Fish and shellfish preparation: Fish suitable are snapper,
mullet, eel, whiting, john dory and bream. Cut into 5 cm (2 inch)
slices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add heads and trimmings to
fish stock. Cut rinsed lobster tails into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces with
shell on. Shell and de-vein prawns.

Yield: 8 servings