Hungarian-Style Smoky Basa Soup With Crème Fraîche & Ciabatta

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel your potato[es], then chop into small bite-sized cubes

Boil a kettle

Heat a pot with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion and pepper strips with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to soften

Once softened, transfer the softened pepper to a bowl with half the softened onion and set aside for later

Return the pot with the remaining softened onion to a medium heat and add the chopped potato and chopped garlic with your tomato paste, ground paprika and 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] sugar and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your vegetable stock mix and 700ml [910ml] [1.2L] boiled water and cook, covered, for 18-20 min or until the potato is fork-tender

Meanwhile, chop your parsley finely, including the stalks

Pat your basa fillet[s] dry with kitchen paper, then chop into large, bite-sized pieces

Once the potato is tender, remove the pot from the heat and blitz until smooth with a (stick) blender – this is your Hungarian-style smoky soup base

Return the Hungarian-style smoky soup base to a bring to a boil over a high heat

Add the chopped basa, the reserved onion & pepper to the pot with a pinch of salt and pepper and once boiling, reduce to heat to medium and cook for 4-5 min or until cooked through – this is your Hungarian-style smoky basa soup

Tip: Your fish is cooked once it turns opaque and flakes easily

Slice your ciabatta[s] in half and place in the toaster for 2-3 min or until toasted

Once toasted, spread a knob of butter on each toasted ciabatta half