Peasant Fish Soup

​Adapted from a recipe by: Jacques Pepin

This soup is wonderfully flavorful and colorful. I prefer less fatty/oily fish like scrod, cod, halibut, snapper, bass, sole, and sword fish. You can also use sea scallops and shrimp or a combination of several. The rouille is a creamy mayonnaise-like sauce that is flavorful and adds a wonderful finish to the soup. Don't leave it out! I often use the rouille in other broth bases soups to add flavor. You can also use it in place of mayonnaise if you find you have leftovers. Tips for a quick fish stock below. Chicken stock if fine as well.

Serves 6-8 
Soup
3 Tbs olive oil
1 cup onions, diced 
1 cup celery, diced 
6 cups fish stock, or chicken stock
1 fennel bulb, diced 
1 Tbs fennel fronds, chopped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped 
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped 
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon thyme
1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, cut in half 
2 pounds of fresh scrod or cod, cut into 2-inch chunks (other options-halibut, snapper, bass, sole, and sword fish, scallops, shrimp)
½ cup fresh flat leafed parsley, chopped 
Kosher salt
Pepper 
Rouille-recipe below
Croutons-recipe below

1. Place the olive oil, onions, and celery into a heavy-bottomed 8-quart soup pot over medium low heat. Cook the vegetables until they are soft, about 5-8 minutes.  
2. Add the stock, fennel bulb, fennel fronds, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, and turmeric. Bring the soup to a boil then immediately reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, partially covered.
3. Remove about half of the solids and puree in a blender or food processor. Return the pureed vegetables to the soup pot.  
4. Add the cut tomatoes and pieces of fish to the soup pot. Simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the fish is opaque. 
5. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add Rouille to taste to the entire soup or serve at the table to allow each person add it to taste. Serve soup topped with croutons.

 
Rouille-a light mayonnaise 
4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled 
1/4-cup fish soup
1 whole egg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/2 cup olive oil 

1. Process the first four ingredients in a food processor.
2. Add the oil slowly to make a light mayonnaise. 
3. Add Rouille to taste to the entire pot of soup or serve at the table to allow each person to stir into their soup to taste.
   Refrigerate up to 5 days. It will thicken in refrigerator.

 
Croutons
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups 1-inch bread cubes-baguette or ciabatta
½ tsp kosher salt

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Pour the olive oil onto a rimmed baking pan. Toss the bread cubes with the oil and the salt. 
3. Cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve with soup.

Quick Fish Stock
adapted from Serious Eats
2 pounds bones and heads of lean, white-fleshed fish, such as snapper or bass, gills removed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place fish bones and heads in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Stir in kosher salt until dissolved. Let stand 1 hour. Drain, then rinse fish under cold running water, washing away any large areas of blood (such as near spine).
2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fish heads and bones and cook, stirring, until it begins to steam. Add 4 cups water (liquid should just barely cover heads and bones; if not, add just enough more to barely cover). 
3. Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, then lower heat so that it stays just below a simmer, with only the occasional bubble. Cook for 20 minutes. Using a spoon, skim off any scum that accumulates on the surface.
4. Strain fish stock through a fine-mesh strainer. Use right away or chill. Fish stock can be kept refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.