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Fish Soup Fish is quite expensive nowadays, but you can make great soups and chowders with the parts of the fish that are free. Actually it's these parts—the bones and the heads—that give fish stocks, soups, and stews their taste. The best bones are from flat fish, such as sole, dab, flounder, or halibut, though you can use most any fish as long as it's not oily. (Here we use porgy.) Oily fish, such as mackerel, bluefish, salmon, herring, and tuna, do not have as good a taste; also, the skin is fatty and should be discarded. Collarbones from cod are very good as they yield a great deal of flesh. When free bones and heads are in the offing, I'll always take advantage of them. When they're not, I'll buy whole fish and have the fishmonger gut and fillet them, reserving the heads and bones for soup, and the fillets for a dish like Fish Fillets Nicoise (see recipe). Alternatively, if I buy a whole fish and fillet it for dinner, I'll freeze the heads and bones for later use. The bones and heads are sautéed quickly, then cooked in water. If there's flesh on the bones, I pick it off after they have been cooked. However, there's not always enough to bother with. Either way the bones and heads are discarded after they have been cooked and picked clean. Fresh fish is always the best, but you can still get good results with frozen fish bones, provided the fish was very fresh, clean, and properly packed when frozen. When using fresh bones, wash them, and remove the gills and any bloody parts inside or they will be bitter. If frozen, defrost slowly in the refrigerator, then wash well under cold water. Our fish soup is enriched with a rouille, which is a type of mayonnaise. Rouille means "rust," which is the color it imparts when added to the soup. The rouille can be mixed into the soup or served on the side. Serve with thin, garlic-flavored croutons made from French baguettes. Both the rouille and the croutons are optional, though they do add flavor to the soup. 3 pounds of fish bones and heads or, as in our case, the bones and heads of 4 porgies (1 pound each, gutted), plus 1 extra pound of bones 2 tablespoons oil, preferably olive oil 10 cups water 1 cup sliced onions 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced scallions 1/2-cup loose parsley leaves 2 1/2cups diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon anise seed 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon tarragon 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 1/2-teaspoon thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 1/2 teaspoons salt Wash the bones and heads under cold water. (If you are using whole fish—like the porgy here—bone and fillet them, leaving the skin on. Be sure to remove the gills and wash well. Refrigerate or freeze the fillets for later use.) Heat the oil in a large kettle and add the bones and heads. Sauté them in the oil over high heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes. They will break into pieces. Add the water. Bring to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. If any scum comes to the top, skim it off and discard it. Strain the stock and pour the liquid back into the kettle. Pick the meat off the bones and set it aside. (We got approximately 11/2 Cups.) To the liquid add the rest of the ingredients, except the fish, bring to a boil, cover, and boil gently for 3 5 to 40 minutes. Strain the stock and puree the solids in a food processor. Return the puree to the liquid and stir to combine. You should have about 8 cups of soup. If you have more, reduce it. If you don't have enough, add water to bring it to 8 cups. Add the pieces of fish and bring the whole mixture back to a boil. Just before serving add the rouille. ROUILLE 4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled 1/4-cup fish soup 1 whole egg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil Process the first four ingredients in a food processor. Add the oil slowly to make a light mayonnaise. Mix some of the rouille into the soup, and pass some on the side. Serve the soup in large bowls with croutons (recipe follows) in it or on the side. GARLIC CROUTONS 1/4 cup vegetable oil 30 slices of stale thin French baguettes, cut no more than 1/4 inch thick 2 large cloves garlic, peeled Spread the vegetable oil on a 16 x 1 2-inch cookie sheet. Dip the slices of bread in the oil and turn them over. They will pick up a bit of oil on both sides. (This technique is easier than brushing each one with oil.) Place the cookie sheet in a 37 5-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bread is brown and crisp. (Bread browns more uniformly in the oven than under the broiler.) When the bread is cool, rub it lightly with the garlic on both sides. The hard bread abrades like sandpaper and absorbs some of the garlic. Do not use too much—2 cloves should be enough. Serve with soup or salad. 8 SERVINGS Return to Top | Back to Recipes |
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