Fish Head Soup

Recipe from Anastasia Odobescu

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Cooking time: 1 h. 30 min

Servings 4

A fabulous fish head soup that can be diversified in many ways by adding crabs, shellfish, other fish, etc. It’s convenient to prepare after you buy whole fish and have leftover heads that you leave in the freezer. The collagen in the fish's heads gives the meal a perfect smoothness. At the same time, even if you don’t buy whole fish, you can get just their heads at the market for cheap. Sometimes they’ll even give them to you for free, but let’s keep that as our little secret ;)

Fish heads

800 g.
Fish fillet of choice

200 g.
Tomato coulis

400 g.
Garlic

2 cloves
Onion

2 pcs.
Dried fennel

1 stalk
Bay leaf

1 leaf
Thyme

1 sprig
Cognac

50 ml
Salt, pepper and chili

to taste
Grilled bread

to taste per portion

Calories

210 kcal
Protein

19 g
Fat

4 g
Carbohydrates

24 g

Tie the thyme, bay leaf and fennel stalk with kitchen twine (leave a piece of string long enough to tie the string to the pot handle, so it can be easily removed later).
Chop the onions and the garlic, and sauté them in a saucepan, until they become transparent. Add the fish heads and sauté for a few minutes, until the heads change color. Add the Cognac and cook until almost evaporated. Add about 1 litre of hot water, tomato coulis, herbs, bouquet garni, and salt. Boil uncovered and over high heat for 10 minutes.
Add the boneless fish fillet to the pot. Then leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Check for doneness with a fork that should pierce the fillet without resistance.

Remove the fish and set it aside. Remove the bouquet garni.
If the heads are large, try to remove some meat on the cheeks or other areas, but keep the meat for later. Mix the contents of the pot, the heads included. Pass through a sieve, pressing well to strain as much liquid as possible, then heat up the broth over low heat. Taste the mixture to check if it’s seasoned well enough, and add more if necessary. Add the cut fillets and the pieces of meat removed from the heads.
Toast pieces of bread and rub them with the garlic, cut into smaller pieces and place into the bowls. Upon serving, pour the soup and place a fish head into each bowl.

Thick fillets are advised for this recipe, like a julienne. If you put whiting fillets, for example, the cooking will take less time, 5 minutes may be enough for a very thin fillet.

Bon Appetit!