Cooking the fish too long is the most common mistake in fish soup: flesh that cooks in ten minutes falls into threads in twenty and clouds the soup. The right way is to simmer the head and bones separately, strain them out, and leave the fillet until last.
Ingredients
For the fish stock
For the soup
For the egg-lemon thickening
Method
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Make the fish stock
Simmer the head and bones in water with the onion, carrot and peppercorns for 20 minutes. Strain.
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Poach the fish
Cook the fillet in the strained stock for 6 minutes, lift it out and break it into large pieces.
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Build the base
Cook the flour in butter for 2 minutes and add the strained fish stock a little at a time.
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Cook the vegetables
Add the diced potato and carrot and simmer for 12 minutes.
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Temper
Whisk the egg yolk with the lemon juice, warm it with hot soup and pour it into the pan, stirring.
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Add the fish
Add the pieces of fish and the salt and heat for 2 minutes without stirring; stir and the fish breaks up.
Tips
- Do not simmer the fish stock for more than 20 minutes; bones cooked too long turn the liquid bitter.
- Do not stir with a spoon once the fish is in the pan, just rock the pan gently.
- Oily fish such as anchovy or bonito do not suit this soup; choose a lean white fish.
- Strain the fish stock through muslin. A sieve lets the fine bones through and they end up in the bowl.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.