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How can you concoct Red Mullet Soup without bones or heads?

The recipe below doesn't contain any bones. Did the author forget them? 


>Red mullet has particular qualities that make the flavour very rich. The secret of this soup is making a good stock. Additionally, you want just a flicker of movement on it as it develops on the stove top; if you let it do its own thing it eventually comes together to produce delightful results. I also use this as a base to cook fish, fennel and potatoes and serve them in a clay pot as a more robust fish stew. It takes some time to cook, but just minutes to prepare.

>### red mullet soup

SERVES 4

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 celery sticks (stalks), finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup dry white wine

2 × 400 g/14 oz cans tomatoes

10 salted anchovy fillets

4 litres/7 pints/4 quarts shellfish stock (see here)

1 tbsp fennel seeds

good pinch of saffron strands

3 bay leaves

sprig of fresh thyme

6 red mullet, scaled, filleted and pinboned

saffron mayonnaise (see here), finely chopped curly parsley and fried bread to serve

>Gently fry the fennel, celery and garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat until lightly golden and soft – 4–5 minutes. Add the wine, boil off the alcohol, then add the tomatoes, anchovies, stock, fennel seeds and saffron. Using a hand blender, blend the liquid until smooth, then pour into a large pan. Add the bay and thyme and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very lightly – you just want a flicker of movement – uncovered, for 1½ hours.

>Add the mullet fillets, then simmer very gently, uncovered, for 2 hours until the flavour has developed and the mullet is broken up. Taste it often – you will know when it is ready. Serve with saffron mayonnaise, a sprinkle of parsley and some fried bread.




[*Fish Easy*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23832980-fish-easy) (2012) by [Mitchell Tonks](https://www.mitchtonks.co.uk/) who lives in England. p 74.