Fish stock
A great staple to keep in the freezer – useful for poaching fish, or to prepare all kinds of sauces to lubricate fish dishes (or, in fact other savoury foods) and to prepare fish-themed jellies. It may cost you close to nothing to prepare fish stock: the fish monger may well be willing to give away fish bones & heads for free.
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg fish bones & heads (of white fish), roughly chopped
- 100 g parsnip, peeled and chopped
- 100 g celery, prepared and chopped
- 100 g leek, washed and chopped
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 wheels star anis
- 1 tbsp white pepper corns
- 3 bay leaves
- 500 ml white wine
- small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- small bunch of dill
Method
- Soak fish bones & heads in cold running water for 20 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over moderate heat. Add vegetables, sweat for a few minutes. Add spices and rinsed fish pieces. Add wine and 1 l water, add bay leaves, parsley and dill. Bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Skim foam rising to the surface a few times. Line a sieve with moist muslin (or a clean, moist tea towel), pass stock through muslin-lined sieve.