If you are out there catching snapper this summer, why not keep your fish frames and use them to make delicious stock or soup?
To make stock:
- Add 3-4 fish frames and any other fish offcuts to a big pot.
- Add a roughly chopped onion, a roughly chopped carrot, some parsley stalks, a bay leaf and about 4 litres of cold water and bring to the boil.
- Skim any impurities off that come to the surface once it has come to the boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes or so.
- Cool, strain and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze. Use for soup, chowder or risotto that features fish or seafood.
Snapper Frame Soup
Ingredients
- pinch of saffron (optional)
- ½ onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 leek
- 1 zucchini, finely chopped
- splash olive oil
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- few parsley sprigs
- zest of a lemon
- salt and pepper
- 1 litre fish stock
- any cooked fish that came off the frames if you made your own stock (or a fillet of snapper, chopped into bite-sized pieces, if you didn’t)
- juice of a lemon
Method
- Put the pinch of saffron in a little boiling water to soak for 15 minutes or so.
- Finely chop the onion, carrot and leek and sweat it in the olive oil in a big soup pot.
- When the onion is soft and a little bit see through, add the saffron strands and liquid, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, fennel seeds, parsley, lemon zest, seasoning, fish stock and chopped zucchini.
- Bring to the boil, and then simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
- Add the fish (uncooked will take a few minutes more than cooked), heat through, and taste. Season, add lemon juice to taste and serve with fresh bread.
Happy Summer everyone! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a New Year full of good health and good cheer…
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag #coromandelflavour – I love to see what you’ve been making and any feedback is really welcome.