Fish Stock

Name: Fish Stock
Yield: makes about 2 1/2 quarts
Ingredients: 4 pounds heads and bones of non-oily fish, such as sole, flounder, snapper, or bass; 2 dried bay leaves; 8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 bunch fresh thyme; 1/2 bunch fresh tarragon; 1 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds; 8 whole black peppercorns; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 large leek, white and pale-green parts, quartered and sliced 1/4 inch thick, well washed; 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 8 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 1 cup dry white wine

January 26, 2012

Because this fish stock freezes well, you can double the recipe; use one batch, and freeze the second one for later use.

Recipe information

Yield
makes about 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

4 pounds heads and bones of non-oily fish, such as sole, flounder, snapper, or bass

2 dried bay leaves

8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 bunch fresh thyme

1/2 bunch fresh tarragon

1 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds

8 whole black peppercorns

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large leek, white and pale-green parts, quartered and sliced 1/4 inch thick, well washed

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

8 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 cup dry white wine

Preparation

Step 1
Remove the gills and any blood from the fish heads; thoroughly wash the bones, and cut them to fit in a 12-quart stockpot. Tie the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, tarragon, fennel seeds, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside.
Step 2
Melt the butter in the stockpot over medium heat; add the leek, onion, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and fennel, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high, and add the fish heads and bones. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, bouquet garni, and 2 1/2 quarts water, just covering the bones. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, skim, and let stock simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off heat; let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Prepare an ice-water bath. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl; set the bowl in the ice bath to cool. Use within 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months.
Mediterranean Fish Stock
Step 4
To infuse your fish stock with the flavors of the Mediterranean, add one or more of the following ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads, 6 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon toasted fennel or cumin seeds, 3 garlic cloves, 20 shrimp shells, or the zest of 1 orange.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.

Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.

TagsStock Sole Fish Seafood Flounder Snapper Bass Gluten Free Nut Free Make Ahead Meal Prep Simmer Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Mediterranean Fish Stock

Step 4

Recipe notes