Crab Soup with Fennel and Saffron

Sold as cranquettes, and also known as crabes enragées, these tiny crabs are furious, fierce little things – you find this out because they are sold live and when you get them home and tip them into the sink, they try to nip you with their spiky claws. The soup could be made with velvet swimming crabs or small crabs of any kind. This recipe is based on one from the fishing port of Gruissan, one of a wonderful collection of recipes given by the grandmothers of Gruissan, collect