Tips for Making the Perfect Fish Soup

Previously mentioned tips still apply when making fish soups. Below are a few extra ones to consider:

• Some recipes call for homemade Fish Stock. For a quick substitution, you can:
  • Use the instant dashi found in Oriental markets. Instant dashi is like an instant bouillon of smoked tuna. It’s a based stock for miso soup. Double the amount of water according to package directions to reduce smokiness.
  • Use canned clams juice, extended with the same amount of water to reduce saltiness.
• If you don’t have enough fish trimmings to make homemade fish stock, either ask for some at your fish market or freeze your own trimmings until you have enough.
• Some white fish, when cooked in liquid, could give a milky appearance. If you want your soup to have a clear broth, poach the fish separately and add it to the soup just before serving. If appearance isn’t critical and you prefer to streamline the preparation, then cook the fish in the broth as directed. The flavor will be better.
• When cooking fish in soup, small 1-inch pieces will cook faster than whole fillets, steaks, or darne. As a general guide, when cooking pieces of fish in soup, allow about 2 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of the fish pieces.
• When cooking fish in broth, to not overcook the seafood, or they could break apart, mussels could become chewy, squid rubbery, etc.
• Some whitefish are better than others to make fish soups. Pacific cod and monkfish are popular whitefish varieties. The moist yet firm texture makes them a versatile choice. The distinctive flake and slightly sweet flavor adapt well to almost any cooking method. They even hold up well once cooked into this fish soup.
• To store leftover soup, place it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days.
• Reheat fish soups to a safe internal temperature of 80ºC / 176ºF over medium-low heat until heated through. But be careful not to overheat it because the fish will overcook. Use the cooking thermometer to monitor the temperatures.

Ingredients That Boots Flavors Other Than Spices

• Onion and garlic: A combo that adds and enhances flavors of most Mediterranean fish soups.
• Celery and fennel: Balances out the soup with nutrients, anise flavor, and a bit of crunch.
• Dry white wine: Used to steam shellfish, bring out more flavors and acidity to the soup.
• Lemon juice: Compliments seafood with a vibrant tanginess. It could be substituted with organic cider vinegar.
• Herbes de Provence dry mix: A simple way to add lots of flavor like thyme, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, savory, and lavender to soups.
• Canned diced tomatoes: Use the tomato and liquid from the can for flavor and color the soup. Low in calories and packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
• Tomato paste: helps thicken the broth a bit, plus adds loads of tomato flavor, but be aware of bitterness that could come with it.
• Fresh herbs: For best flavor:
  • Use a sharp knife when chopping fresh herbs, so they cut rather than crush the delicate herb leaves. Crushing leads to bruised, blackened herbs.
  • Herbs should be finely chopped and added to the soup just before serving.
  • If you’d like to use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs in a recipe, add four times more fresh herbs than the recipe calls for and add it in at the end.