Fish Stock Recipe

Fish Stock

"Fish stock is a magnificent base for making soups.

You can also use the broth to poach fish, meat, poultry and vegetables briefly.

Fish stock is quick and easy to make; rather than simmering away for hours, requiring continuous skimming and fussing, fish stock takes just 30 minutes on the stovetop."

Ingredients for Fish Stock:

- 2 lbs ( 900g) of fish heads and bones (fish heads alone will suffice)

- 2 onions - peeled

- 3 carrots - peeled

- 4 celery stalks - washed

- 2 dried bay leaves

- 6 sprigs fresh tyme

- a little olive oil

*Do not use oily fish such as salmon for fish stock or you will stink up the whole house! Only use non-oily fish such as sole, turbot, rockfish or, my favorite, snapper.

How to made Fish Stock:

Rough chop all the vegetables.

Heat a little olive oil in a large sauce pan and roast the vegetables or to let them sweat (start to soften and release their liquids) for a few minutes over the heat.

Add water and fish heads/bones.

Cover with enough water that you can easily stir them in the pot. Less water means that your stock will be more concentrated; more water makes a lighter-flavored stock.

Add the fresh tyme and bay leaves.

Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to just under a boil. Once you start to see some bubbling around the edges of the pot and a few wisps of steam on the surface, turn the heat down to medium-low.

As the water first begins to boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. It is important to remove this foam as this is impurities and off flavors.

Allow the stock to simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Take the pot off the stove, stirr it again and allow it to steep for 10 minutes.

Remove all the vegetables and the bones with a slotted spoon.

Set your strainer over a big bowl and line it with cheese cloth or coffee filters.

Pour the stock through.

If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible.

Divide the stock into storage containers, cool completely, and then freeze.

Enjoy!