Fish Soup with Bread and Rouille

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves (not California)
• 2  carrots coarsely chopped
• 2 rib celery stalks coarsely chopped
• 2 cups wine dry white
• 1 lb fish fillet white cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon parsley fresh chopped
• 3  garlic clove smashed
• 1 large leek white green coarsely chopped cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 5 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon oregano fresh chopped
• 1.3 lb plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon pepper dried red hot
• 0.3 teaspoon saffron threads crumbled
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 8 inch sourdough bread (1 lb)
• 3 tablespoons canned tomatoes canned
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 2 cups frangelico 
• 2 cups frangelico 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• ladle
• oven
• pot
• sieve
• grill
• slotted spoon
• grill pan

Directions

1. Wash green and white parts of leek separately in a bowl of cold water, then lift out with a slotted spoon and pat dry.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook leek greens, onion, celery, and carrots, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.
4. Add saffron, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
5. Add fresh tomatoes and tomato purée and cook, stirring, 4 minutes.
6. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by about half, about 30 minutes.
7. Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Carefully pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, then discard solids.
8. Preheat oven to 300°F.
9. Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot.
10. Brush bread with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then grill on all sides until grill marks appear. Tear bread into rough 3-inch pieces and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until crisp outside but soft inside, about 10 minutes. Cool croûtes.
11. Heat butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook white part of leek, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
12. Add fish, hot broth, and salt and bring to a simmer (fish will be cooked through).
13. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rouille.
14. Put croûtes in soup plates and ladle soup over.
15. Sprinkle with oregano and parsley and serve remaining rouille on the side.
16. • Broth can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat broth before adding to white part of leek along with fish and rouille.