Fish Soup is a dish that combines great flavor with the kind of healthy benefits doctors nag us about. AND, there’s nothing easier to make!
Cook your favorite seafood and vegetables in any liquid — water, juice, wine or stock. Wait for the liquid to boil — add the vegetables and cook – then simmer the fish until it can be easily flaked with a fork — the whole process taking about 15 to 20 minutes. Voila!
Whether you’re making a cioppino, bouillabaisse or chowder, there’s more to think about if you want a truly memorable fish soup.
Soups are classified into thin and clear (consomme and bouillon) or thick and creamy (bisques and stews). But from this point on, the plot thickens (pun intended!)
Bisques are thickened by pureed vegetables and/or shellfish and cream and/or butter. Soups and stews can also be thickened using eggs, butter, cream, beans, flour, rice, etc. Typically, “stews” have less liquid than “soups”.
And, which fish works best in soups? That depends on your recipe and your taste buds. From carp to herring – lobster to white fish…all can make a truly delicious soup. Halibut and cod are the usual picks when making a fish soup because of their firm white meat, but try monkfish or ocean trout to change things up.
Nearly anything goes when you’re making fish soup – even fish HEADS! You may want to avoid delicate fish cuts like sole, and most chefs stay away from oily fish, like tuna, when making fish soup.
Purists believe boiling the fish with only potatoes and onions allows the taste of the fresh fish to take center stage but again, anything goes when
you’re talking ingredients and seasonings. Garlic, cilantro, ginger…wine, lime juice, vegetable broth, clam juice…potatoes, peas, peppers, mushrooms – try them all!
If the ease and versatility isn’t enough to get you making fish soup – you should know that it’s economical, too! Many other parts of the fish can be used also, yielding very little waste. The basis for many fish soups is fish stock.
In the West, this is usually made with fish bones (and can include the fish head) along with finely chopped vegetables like onions, carrots and celery (the French call this mixture mirepoix). Mirepoix is the flavorful base for a wide variety of dishes including stocks, soups, stews, and sauces. Cook this “slow and low” for at least 45 minutes.
In Japan, fish stock is made from fish that have been fried and boiled for several hours, creating a white milky broth. Dehydrated stock can be formed into small cubes and are widely available.
You know that it’s good when multiple nationalities have their favorite version of the same dish. From Mexico to Singapore, Vietnam to Italy… everyone loves fish soup!
So whether you love it for the health benefits (ample protein and about 100 calories per cup), the ease, or the taste, fish soup is a meal choice that fits most criteria for what a “good meal” is all about.
