Table of Contents
Fish soup ingredients
There’s nothing better than enjoying a warm, hearty bowl of fish soup in the serene beauty of the forest near a lake. The combination of fresh ingredients, soothing sounds of nature and the joy of cooking delicious food is truly unique. In this blog post, we will provide you with a detailed recipe and guide for making fish soup, and also look at possible substitutions for missing ingredients.
Ingredients
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s take a look at the key ingredients needed for a flavorful fish soup:
- 6.6 lbs (3 kg) fresh fish (such as salmon, trout, catfish, walleye, perch, pike, carp).
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 3-6 potatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 2 diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 or 6 liters of water per 6.6 lbs (3 kg) of fish, the less, the richer the fish soup will be, but it will be thicker (choose at your discretion)
- Vodka 2 fl oz /50 ml (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking
1. Start by heating the olive oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté until they become translucent and fragrant.
2.Then add diced carrots, potatoes and chopped red bell pepper to the cauldron. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown.
3. Now it’s time to add the diced tomatoes and 3 liters of water to the pan. Stir well and bring the mixture to a low boil.
4. While the soup base is simmering, prepare the fish by removing the fins, gills, tails, eyes and cutting into small pieces. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Gently add the fish to the simmering soup base, making sure it is evenly distributed. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakes easily with a fork, add bay leaf, salt and pepper
6. Finally, put the burning log in it for half a minute and then add fresh dill, parsley and let the soup simmer for another 2-3 minutes so that the flavors mix.
Advice:
- We recommend preparing the broth in two stages: 1. First boil the heads, fins and tails in an empty cauldron, without vegetables, over low heat, periodically skimming the foam from the surface, and after 20-30 minutes, remove the fish tails, fins and strain this broth through gauze to remove small fish bones;
- 2. then add a second portion of fish to this broth, cut into pieces salmon, catfish, perch or other fish and cook for another 15 minutes, this will make the fish soup more rich.
- At the end of cooking the fish soup, before removing it from the fire, place a burning log in it, since during cooking there is a high risk of fish bile getting into the fish soup – it can spoil the taste with its bitterness. Since coal has the ability to adsorb certain substances on its surface, a burning log or branch absorbs bile and neutralizes the bitterness from it.
- To make fish soup transparent: the fish should be well prepared: cleaned, giblets removed, and washed. The gills and eye sockets must be cut out of the head! Otherwise, not only the appearance of the finished dish will deteriorate, but also its taste – it will taste bitter.
- The liquid should not boil too much.
- Constantly remove foam from the surface.
- At the end, squeeze a little lemon juice.
- When preparing fish soup, sometimes the whole onion is added – then it turns out to be a pleasant golden hue.
Substitutions
If you find yourself missing any of the ingredients mentioned above, don’t worry! There are always alternatives that can still result in a delicious fish soup:
- If you don’t have fresh fish, you can use canned fish such as tuna or salmon. Just be sure to drain the canned fish before adding it to the soup.
- If you don’t have fresh dill, you can substitute it with dried dill or other fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro.
- If you don’t have onions, you can use leeks or shallots as a replacement. They will add a similar depth of flavor to the soup.
Conclusion
Preparing fish soup in the forest near a lake is a delightful culinary adventure that allows you to connect with nature and enjoy a comforting meal. By following this recipe and making any necessary ingredient substitutions, you can still create a delicious fish soup even in the midst of missing ingredients. So gather your cooking utensils, head to the forest, and savor the flavors of this exquisite dish!
You may also be interested in other outdoor cooking recipes.
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