Tuna soup, Basque-style

A tuna soup, both fruity and spicy,  inspired by the food of the Basque region, in particular piperade, the spicy, local ratatouille. The soup is a rich, nutritious blend of generous tuna flakes, courgette, sun-dried tomato and red bell pepper.

Shake the soup well before opening, gently heat without letting it boil, and serve on its own or with garlic-rubbed croutons sprinkled with espelette pepper.

La belle-iloise was founded in the fishing port of Quiberon, Brittany in 1932 by Georges Hilliet, when he was 22 years old. Quiberon was one of France’s key sardine canning hubs, with 14 canneries located there.

Hilliet was a firm believer in quality, artisanal production from the outset and resisted the emergence of mass retailing in the 60s, keeping faith with his own production values. He vowed he’d sooner sell his sardines from a basket on the beach than compromise on quality. The company was eventually re-named la belle-iloise, a tribute to the people of Belle-Ile - the island opposite Quiberon where the sardines are caught.

Today Hilliet’s granddaughter Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu helms the company, continuing her grandfather’s ethos of quality, sustainable production and tinned fish that melds traditional recipes with innovative flair.