Waterzooi van hondshaai & saffraan (saffron waterzooi of dogfish)

For ➍
600 g dogfish, cut into 5 cm pieces [or firm white fish like cod]
1 l fumet*
2 stalks leek
4 stalks celery
1 fennel
3 onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
3 laurel leaves
4 capsules saffron powder (or threads)
a splash vermouth​
15 cl cream**
1 tbs soft butter***
1 tbs flour***
a few twigs chervil
sourdough bread
pepper & salt

Heat the fish fumet.
Clean the leek, celery and fennel and cut them into rough pieces.
Peel the onions and cut them roughly.
Peel the garlic, press into pulp.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Fry the onions. Add the leek, celery and fennel. Simmer for a while. Add the garlic pulp.
Put the pieces of fish on the vegetables.
Add the thyme, laurel and saffron. Mix carefully, add a splash of vermouth.
Pour the hot fumet over the fish. Add the cream.**
Add freshly ground pepper and salt.
Let the waterzooi boil on a gentle fire for about 5 m.
Knead the butter and the flour into an even mixture.***
Stir some of the mixture under the cooking liquid to bind the sauce.*** [ Add some more if necessary].***
Continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 m.
Check a piece of fish whether it is done.
Sprinkle with soms chervil. Serve with sourdough bread.

*Use less if you want a thicker sauce without butter or flour.*** Be sure the fish is covered with liquid.
**Use soy replacement product to avoid real cream.
***Omit if you want. Make the sauce thicker by reducing the amount of fumet. See (*).

Matelote de roussette au cidre (Normande dogfish cider stew)

For ➍
600 g skinned & emptied dogfish (a small shark)*
500 g firm potatoes, peeled and sliced in chunks less than 1 cm
1 onion, chopped
½ bottle of Normandy cider
salt & pepper
flour

In a large frying pan, sauté onions in oil.
Cut dogfish into 5 cm chunks. Sprinkle them with flour.
Peel and cut the potatoes into slices less than 1 cm.
Brown the onions and the dogfish.  Add the potatoes. Cover slowly with cider. Add salt and pepper.
Cover and cook over low heat for 30 m.
Adjust the seasoning before serving.

*'Roussette' is sold, cleaned and skinned, as 'saumonette' in France (though visually similar fish like eels might be sold as saumonette.
Instead use regular shark or swordfish, cut in chunks, lightly floured.

Try a similar recipe: peel and slice 3 onions. Sauté them with 60 g butter. Add 800 g dogfish pieces and brown them lightly. Remove fish and onions. Stir in 30 g flour into the melt butter, then pour in the 75 cl cider slowly, continously stirring. Add salt and pepper. Put the dogfish and onions in the pan. Cover and cook in the oven at 200°C for 30 m. Serve the fish in sauce and garnish with watercress leaves. Serve with potatoes or mashed watercress (blanche it, mix it, then add the cream, salt and pepper.