According to the Harry's Bar Cookbook by Harry Cirpiani (Bantam, 1991), from which this recipe was adapted, Harry's fish soup is a combination of the French bouillabaisse, with its rich saffron flavor, and the Venetian brodo di pesce, a lighter soup using more vegetables and fewer kinds of fish.

• 2 stalks celery
• 2 medium onions
• 1 carrot
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups hot fish or vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp. saffron threads
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne
• salt and black pepper
• 1/2 lb. each 2 kinds of boneless, skinless white fish (such as sea bass, monkfish, or halibut), cut into 1/2-inchc pieces
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cut into thirds
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 canned anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 2 flat-leafed parsley sprigs, chopped
• 1 fresh rosemary spring, leaves removed and chopped (or a pinch of dried)
• 1 fresh thyme sprig, leaves removed and chopped (or a pinch of dried)

Cut celery, onions and carrot into julienne strips. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onions, and carrot. Cook, stirring often for five minutes until vegetables are softened but not brown. Cut the tomato into julienne strips, add to saucepan, and cook for l minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine and bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until mixture has thickened. Stir in stock, saffron, bay leaf, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining flour with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add fish and toss to coat well. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add fish and shrimp, then cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until browned and just cooked. Don't overcook. Add brandy to skillet to warm it, then, standing back, ignite brandy. (Be careful; the flames may be quite high.) Swirl the skillet at arm's length until flames die down, then add contents of skillet to soup.