Sicilian Seafood and Couscous Soup

1.

Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl, drizzle the oil on top, then, using your hands, mix evenly. Meanwhile bring water to simmer and pour over couscous. Using a fork, mix together to incorporate together being sure to fork out any lumps. Cover tightly with cling film and set aside for 10 min. Remove cling film and once again fork the couscous to separate the grains. For the soup

2.

Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot on a low heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook until golden brown. Then add the onion and allow too cook until transparent. Increase temperature to high and add the vongole, mussels, and half of the white wine, cover with tight fitting lid and allow too cook for approx 3 minutes or until opened. Once the mussels and vongole have opened remove and set aside. Return the heat to medium and add the carrots, celery, fennel and anchovies. Once the vegetables are soft, add saffron and deglaze with remaining white wine. Cook out the white wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, orange peel, bay leaves and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add the octopus and calamari and cook for a further 10 minutes. Then add the fish stock, bring to the boil, reduce to a low heat and allow too simmer for 30 minutes. Once the flavours have combined and developed, turn off heat. Then stir in the prawns, swordfish, snapper, cooked mussels and vongole, chopped parsley, fennel tops and rubbed oregano. Allow too steep for several minutes then add the cooked couscous. Adjust seasoning and serve.