Recipe Requested Fish stock

[Greasylake]

Hey y'all, I've made fish stocks in the past and have enjoyed using them, so with a relatively steady supply of fish bones I'd like to take it up a notch. Do y'all add anything to your stock? What are some dishes that would benefit from a fish stock? I've mostly made soups and rice, but would like to expand the list to include some different things. I can only eat so much soup and paella after all. I've currently got grouper bones, vermillion snapper bones, and yellowfin tuna bones. I have a few heads too but I usually prefer to grill them. If they would elevate a stock in some way, please let me know so I can set some aside in the future. All ideas and tips are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Michi]

All ideas and tips are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Firm white fish makes good stock. Avoid oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon. For aromatics, leek, fennel, celery, tarragon, peppercorns, bay leaf, and dill all work well. I throw in the heads too, with the gills removed.

A half-sheet of kombu never hurt things either and, of course, a splash of dry white wine is a most excellent idea

Start the stock from cold and skim off any protein scum that forms. Then simmer on low for about 50-60 minutes. Strain the whole lot through a fine mesh or a cheese cloth, being careful to not disturb the meat too much, so you end up with a clear stock.

 

[Oshidashi]

Use fish stock in fish/seafood stews of all kinds: bouillabaisse, cioppino, gumbo, chowders

 

[Oshidashi]

tom yum pla:

 

[Rangen]

I had been dissatisfied with my fish stock for years. It was a problem, because I wanted to reproduce Legal Seafood's fish chowder. Finally found one I thought proper, and memorialized it in a document. It's by Jasper White, apparently, and the sweating technique turned out to be the key to what I wanted out of fish stock.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, very thinly sliced
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 large (6 inches long or more) or 2 small (4 inches long or less) fish heads from cod or haddock, split lengthwise, gills removed, and rinsed clean of any blood
2 1/2 to 3 pounds fish frames (bones) from sole, flounder, bass, and/or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed clean of any blood
1/4 cup dry white wine

About 2 quarts very hot or boiling water

Kosher or sea salt

PREPARATION

Melt the butter in a heavy 7- to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.

Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly, and let the bones sweat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they have turned completely white.

Add enough very hot or boiling water to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface, trying not to take any herbs, spices, or vegetables with it. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.)

Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

 

[bobo990]

I had been dissatisfied with my fish stock for years. It was a problem, because I wanted to reproduce Legal Seafood's fish chowder. Finally found one I thought proper, and memorialized it in a document. It's by Jasper White, apparently, and the sweating technique turned out to be the key to what I wanted out of fish stock.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, very thinly sliced
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 large (6 inches long or more) or 2 small (4 inches long or less) fish heads from cod or haddock, split lengthwise, gills removed, and rinsed clean of any blood
2 1/2 to 3 pounds fish frames (bones) from sole, flounder, bass, and/or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed clean of any blood
1/4 cup dry white wine

About 2 quarts very hot or boiling water

Kosher or sea salt

PREPARATION

Melt the butter in a heavy 7- to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.

Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly, and let the bones sweat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they have turned completely white.

Add enough very hot or boiling water to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface, trying not to take any herbs, spices, or vegetables with it. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.)

Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Can we have the recipe for the rest of the fish chowdre as well? I ve been to legal seefood many years (20+) ago and i still remember that chowder.

 

[Michi]

I had been dissatisfied with my fish stock for years. It was a problem, because I wanted to reproduce Legal Seafood's fish chowder. Finally found one I thought proper, and memorialized it in a document. It's by Jasper White, apparently, and the sweating technique turned out to be the key to what I wanted out of fish stock.

That sounds really good! How about adding this recipe to the Recipe Forum for posterity?

 

[Rangen]

That sounds really good! How about adding this recipe to the Recipe Forum for posterity?

Will do, when I can steal some time and focus.

 

[yummycrackers]

Not sure if this can be of any use to anyone, given that it's an old thread, but what I've been trying recently is roasting my fish heads and bones before using them for stock (as one would for a brown meat stock) and cooking the stock itself for much longer (2-3 hours). The result is a darker, more intense broth that is more gelatinous, and I pass it through a chinois before using it. Depending on the use one makes of it, both of those qualities might be desirable.

 

[Recoil Rob]

I fish LI Sound and whenever I get a god enough catch of non-oily fish I make stock, I wouldn't use any tuna bones. I use black sea bass, fluke, flounder racks/heads. One thing I started doing is scrubbing all the blood lines out with a small brush, I bought a toothbrush for this. This includes al the blood left by the spine, in the head (cut out the gills) and then I give it a short soak in brine. This will reduce the amount of foam you need to skim. Then add your aromatics, herbs, wine etc and cover with water for a 30-45min SIMMER. You never want to boil it, you just want to keep it where the water looks angry. Then strain it through cheese cloth. This results in a lovely, delicate stock for soups.

Roasting the bones results in a much richer stock, more umami, great for risottos.

 

[Rangen]

Can we have the recipe for the rest of the fish chowdre as well? I ve been to legal seefood many years (20+) ago and i still remember that chowder.

I used to live on that stuff when I worked in an office that had a Legal's on the ground floor. It was the most amazingly great low-priced lunch ever.

Fortunately, they actually published the recipe:

https://shop.legalseafoods.com/blogs/recipes/fish-chowder

Sorry for the very long response time; I just noticed this.

 

[aporigine]

I used to live on that stuff when I worked in an office that had a Legal's on the ground floor. It was the most amazingly great low-priced lunch ever.

Fortunately, they actually published the recipe:

https://shop.legalseafoods.com/blogs/recipes/fish-chowder

Sorry for the very long response time; I just noticed this.

“let the bones sweat” unfamiliar. Procedure?

 

[rickbern]

“let the bones sweat” unfamiliar. Procedure?

Just like sweating vegetables..bring them up to heat delicately and let them cook a bit without taking on any color

 

[bobo990]

I used to live on that stuff when I worked in an office that had a Legal's on the ground floor. It was the most amazingly great low-priced lunch ever.

Fortunately, they actually published the recipe:

https://shop.legalseafoods.com/blogs/recipes/fish-chowder

Sorry for the very long response time; I just noticed this.

I love you very much right now

 

[1315]

So I catch a lot of salmon. I keep the bellies and sometimes stew them down for a stock for Salmon and Corn Chowder. Just asking: Do you guys think it would be a better chowder if I used "firm white fish" as the stock? Have you used white fish stock with Salmon, comments?
@Michi , what's your expertise say?

Would love to see some more seafood-based stew recommendations here!

​

 

[Rangen]

Hmm, I just looked at the link I provided, and it's really different from the version I made. Apparently what I made was their "Inaugural Fish Chowder."

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 3 cups diced onions
• 1⁄4 cup finely grated carrot
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 12 cups concentrated fish stock
• 4lbs chowder fish fillets (such as 2 lbs. Cod, 1 lb. Monkfish, and 1 lb. Cusk)
• 2 cups light cream
• 1⁄2 cup finely grated monterey jack cheese
• salt

• fresh ground black pepper

Directions
· Heat the butter in a large saucepan until softened.
· Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and sauté.
· Stir frequently, about 5 minutes.
· Remove from heat and slowly stir in the flour.
· Return to the heat, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes.
· Meanwhile, begin heating the stock in a large pot.
· Whisk the stock into the flour mixture.
· Bring the stock to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
· Add the fish and simmer about 10 minutes longer.
· Stir in the cream and cheese.
· Simmer until the cheese melts, about 5 to 8 minutes.
· (You won’t distinguish the cheese as such; it is incorporated into the chowder.) Reheat the chowder slowly so the cream doesn’t boil.

 

[Michi]

Have you used white fish stock with Salmon, comments?

I've made fish stock with salmon heads and frames quite a few times. It works fine, but you get a stock that is fattier, with quite a pronounced fishy taste. You may need to use a fat separator or skim off excess fat, depending on how much you end up with.

Salmon stock is the kind of stock to use if you want something that is strong and robust, such as a hearty fish stew. For more delicate things, such as soup, I prefer fish stock made from leaner white fish, such as snapper or barramundi.

For either stock, the key is not to simmer for more than an hour, and to never let the liquid come anywhere near to a boil: doing so will make the stock more cloudy and also give it off-flavours. Sauté the veggies first, then add cold water and spices.

This recipe by Hank Shaw matches what I do, and it works well. You can make salmon stock much the same way, but I add some fennel and Kombu, and reduce the extraction time to about half an hour, no more than 40 minutes.