Ingredients 500-750g mixed fish (tuna, cod, mackerel, salmon, whatever) 250g bag mixed pre-cooked seafood (prawns, mussels, clams etc. or lobster !) 1/2 litre fish or chicken stock 1 good glass white wine 800g tinned chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato puree 4 cloves crushed garlic 1 large chopped onion 2 large chopped carrots 3 chopped sticks celery 1 medium chopped leek 2 bay leaves, a good handful of basil, a good handful of chopped flat leaf parsley. 1/2 tsp saffron threads. These can be expensive so are not always included. Method Firstly allow your fish to defrost overnight in the fridge. Slowly sweat down all the chopped vegetables in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the wine, tomatoes, stock and purée. Allow this to simmer slowly. Add the herbs (save some parsley for the garnish). This should now be taking you back to the south of France with its fabulous flavours. It’s now that you can add the fish (not the already cooked shellfish). This will take about 10-15 mins at a slow simmer. Now you can add the seafood cocktail and cook for a further 2 mins. Check for salt and pepper and serve into a terrine. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley, then everybody around the table can eat Provençal style with big chunks of white bread rolls. If you fancied a little drop of the old vine? Some may say a powerful drop to match the strong flavours of the Provençal, but I feel a refreshing wine would work very well and be a perfect partner to the bouillabaisse. Try a Spanish Torres Rosé, that’s my tip.