French Fish Stew

Ingredients:
Fish stock:
0.5l/17 fl oz water
0.5l/17 fl oz dry white wine
5 peppercorns
1 - 2 large onions, cut in quarters
1 whole clove garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
pinch of thyme
bunch of parsley stalks
bunch of fennel stalks (optional)

1kg/2 1/4 lb mixed firm fish e.g. cod, smoked haddock, salmon, snapper, mullet
225g/8ozs shallots
110g/4ozs butter
2 pinches of plain flour
crème fraîche or sour cream, to taste
a handful of sorrel leaves
parsley to taste

Preparation:
1. Put all the ingredients for the fish stock into a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Allow the stock to cool and strain it.
2. Now add the fish to the stock (in chunks or whole) and bring back to the boil. Turn it off immediately
and let the fish cook as it cools in the stock. If you're using smoked haddock, you may want to cook it separately to keep the smoked flavor from overpowering the other fish - try steaming it. You could also steam the salmon, to prevent it falling to pieces. When the fish has cooled, skin it, bone it and break it into chunks.
3. To make the sauce, start by finely chopping the shallots.
4. Melt 85g /3oz butter in a pan, add the shallots and cook them gently till they're soft and translucent.
5. Now add the flour and stir over a low heat. When it's light golden (make sure it doesn't burn), gradually add a pint of the fish stock, stirring all the time. Cook gently over a low heat until it thickens.
Then remove it from the heat.
6. Wash and chop a handful of sorrel leaves. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and drop the sorrel leaves to wilt them. They will very quickly turn khaki-colored.
7. Meanwhile, add a dollop or two of crème fraîche or sour cream to the thick sauce. Stir in the wilted sorrel.
Add the fish pieces and warm through. Season to taste.
8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or more chopped sorrel. (The sorrel adds a sharp citric flavor to the dish that makes your mouth water. If you can't get sorrel, try parsley and lemon juice.
You could also try wilting a handful of chopped spinach leaves.)
9. Serve with French bread and/or new potatoes.