Fish Soup With Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fennel
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped leeks
• 1 cup carrots diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups fresh fish broth or water
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup potatoes diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/4 cups white-fleshed, nonoily fish, like monkfish, tilefish, cod or any combination of them, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pint sea scallops (cut in half crosswise if large)
• 1/2 cup light or heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

1. Heat the oil in a kettle or a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the onions, garlic, fennel, leeks and carrots.
2. Cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until the mixture is wilted.
3. Do not brown.
4. Add the pepper flakes, saffron, thyme, bay leaf, fish broth, wine, crushed tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes.
7. Bring to a simmer, cover closely, and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add the fish and the scallops.
9. Check for seasoning.
10. Simmer for 3 minutes; do not overcook.
11. Add the cream, bring to a boil, remove from the heat, add the basil, and serve immediately with Parmesan croutons.

olive oil, onions, garlic, fennel, leeks, carrots, red pepper, saffron threads, thyme, bay leaf, fish broth, white wine, tomatoes, salt, potatoes, whitefleshed, light, fresh basil

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8778 (may not work)