Maltese garlic fish soup (Aljotta)

1. Clean the fish (any white sea fish will do; the Maltese put in the head and tail too) and cut into large pieces.

2. Soften the chopped onion in the olive oil in a pot for 6 minutes, add plenty of thinly sliced garlic and fry for 1 minute until fragrant but not brown.

3. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato purée, cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the water, add salt and bring to the boil.

4. Add the fish and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes; lift out the fish, remove the skin and bones and flake the flesh into large pieces.

5. Sprinkle the rice into the soup and cook for 12-15 minutes until tender; return the fish, season with pepper and stir in the chopped mint.

6. Season with the lemon juice and serve with lemon wedges and fresh Maltese bread.

Tip: Mint and lemon give aljotta its unique fresh character – don't cook the mint, just stir it in at the very end so it keeps its freshness.