In a Saucepan
French Peasant–Style Fish Soup
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 cup dry white wine or water
3 (3-inch) strips orange zest, removed with vegetable peeler
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 pound halibut, cut into 1-inch chunks
Few drops hot pepper sauce
1 (5-ounce) length French baguette, cut into 12 slices and toasted
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Stir together mayonnaise and garlic in small bowl.
2 Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and fennel; cook, stirring, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add clam juice, wine, orange zest, thyme, and black pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 10 minutes.
3 Stir spinach into broth mixture and simmer, covered, until spinach begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir about ½ cup of hot broth into mayonnaise mixture. Stir mayonnaise mixture into soup until blended. Add halibut and simmer, covered, until just opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in pepper sauce.
4 Place 3 toasts in bottom of each of 4 soup bowls. Ladle 1¼ cups of soup into each bowl and sprinkle evenly with parsley.
PER SERVING (1 bowl): 367 Cal, 7 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 40 mg Chol, 737 mg Sod, 35 g Carb, 4 g Sugar, 6 g Fib, 30 g Prot, 161 mg Calc.
FYI If the fennel comes with its feathery fronds still attached, chop some and sprinkle over each serving of soup.