Fisherman's soup with cod and scallops

Ingredients:

Seafood base:

• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 chili pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves, a couple of handfuls
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 fresh bay leaves

Soup base:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 4 small stalks celery, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 bottle of light beer (about 170 g)
• 1 can (800 g) of canned tomatoes in their own juice, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 450 g cod, cut into pieces
• 450 g of scallops
• 1 loaf of ciabatta or other crusty bread of your choice, for serving

Preparation:

1. Seafood base: Place the red onion, chilli, lemon zest, garlic, parsley leaves, thyme and bay leaf in a food processor and process to a paste.
2. Soup base: Heat the olive oil and anchovies in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When the anchovies are tender, add the seafood base to the oil and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Then add the celery, potatoes, and red pepper. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beer and bring to a boil. Then add the tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the volume has reduced by a third. Then turn off the heat, let cool, and store the soup base for later use.
3. Warming up: Heat the soup base over medium-high heat. Toast the bread in a hot oven. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the cod and scallops to the liquid and bring back to a boil. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the fish are cooked through, then turn off the heat. Serve the soup hot with plenty of bread.