French Fish Stew

Rinse fish, pat dry, cut into fillets and de-bone. Cut all fish fillets into bite size pieces. Rinse prawns, remove heads, peel up to the tail segment and devein. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot, add fish bones, prawn shells and trimmings and fry briefly. Cover with 1 liter (approximately 32 ounces) cold water, add star anise, bay leaf and thyme and let boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes to create a fish stock. Skim any resulting foam while cooking.

Peel onion and garlic. Cut onion into strips and garlic into thin slices.

Pour remaining oil in a pot and sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add paprika, stir and deglaze the pot with white wine. Pour fish stock through a fine sieve or a kitchen towel into the second pot and let boil. Add saffron and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add pieces of fish and prawns to the soup, simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat until cooked (do not allow to boil) and season to taste with vermouth, dill, salt and pepper.