Simpler "Cioppino" (Saffron Fish Soup)

I had my first and AMAZING cioppino while visiting my college friend in Boston. It's an Italian-style seafood soup with a delightful saffron aroma. Usually, a cioppino includes two or more kinds of fish, and more shellfish than most of us can afford, so I stuck with just cod, a wonderful fish for hearty soups.

Here's a simplier version inspired by that delicious dinner. Mmmm, the memories...

This is also the perfect way to get into using saffron in your cooking -- It's one of the spices I keep around for years, coveting and refusing to use for anything less than royalty...but the truth is that you've just got to start using it! Saffron whipped cake filling, saffron scones, paella, do yourself a favor, already!

SIMPLER "CIOPPINO"

=Ingredients=
1 M onion, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1 M yellow/green/orange bell pepper, chopped
1 M red bell pepper, cut into larger pieces (I like this for variety in presentation)
1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
1 M carrot, halved and sliced on a diagonal bias
1/4 c white rice
1 c frozen corn
1 filet of cod (~4-6 oz)

SAFFRON! (Trader Joe's has reasonably priced saffron. If you get it in bulk it's cheaper/lb.)
freshly grated pepper (I love Trader Joe's $1.99 rainbow pepper mix!)
dried herbs, like thyme, oregano or savory
optional: 1 c dry white wine
1 organic lemon
salt

=Instructions=
1. Put the kettle on to boil, with as much water as you want in your soup.
2. Heat 1 Tb oil + 1/2 Tb butter in a soup pot. Sautee the onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Grate on some pepper and add 1/2 tsp dried thyme/savory/oregano if you like.
2. Add the carrots and sautee another minute. Add bell peppers, tomatoes and a good pinch of saffron.
3. Pour in boiling water until 1-2" below the rim. Add white wine and rice; bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. COVER with a vent so it doesn't boil over!
4. Let that simmer and get nice and flavorful for a few hours. I would say at least two.
(At this point, I used my SHUTTLECHEF, which is a huge thermos I put my pot into, and which keeps the pot's contents the same temperature for hours. Highly recommended for people who have to walk away from their cooking for hours.)
5. When the soup is done (this is essentially your vegetable broth), put in the corn and your cod filet and simmer it for a few minutes, until the cod is cooked through. Break it up into large chunks with your spatula.

***A NOTE ON SALT: I did NOT add any salt to this soup until serving, so as to let the natural flavors come through and have salt as a light garnish. As somebody said, "The salt you add last is the salt you taste first!"

SERVE:
Ladle into bowls and squeeze on some fresh lemon juice for that extra tartness and zing! You can cut one wedge per serving. Offer a grater of salt for those who like it.
Serve with the wine you used to cook the soup.