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50 Fish and Seafood Soup Recipes Part 5

Here's Part 5 of the eCourse - stock, thickenings, serving suggestions and how to get rid of fish smells plus recipes from Seafood Bisque through to Vietnamese Fish Soup.

Stock

Fish stock cubes are available and they’re OK. It’s acceptable to use vegetable stock – if you’re happy with the taste of the cubes, then use them, but you’ll need to adjust the seasoning.

In all of my recipes, I suggest that you adjust the seasoning just before serving – mostly you won’t need salt but a few twists of black pepper would be good.

Water and white wine or cider is a good alternative to plain water or stock.

If the recipe calls for cooking the fish or seafood for a few minutes, then that will flavour the water, but if the fish is added towards the end of cooking, then a fish stock or stock cube would be better than plain water.

Thickening

Some soups have a cornflour (cornstarch) mix to thicken. It is important to remove the pan from the heat when adding as the soup will go lumpy if you don’t.

Stir the mixture in well and then return to the heat, stirring until the soup reaches simmering point again. For the most part, there isn’t long to wait until the soup is ready by this time, but it will need a minute or so to cook the cornflour and heat the remaining ingredients.

Some soups are pureed in a blender. Either half of it and then that part is poured back into the soup or all of it. These soups tend to have potato or rice as a ‘thickening’ agent.

Okra is used in gumbos and that will thicken the soup.

Some soups are low on liquid and high in ingredients – the pulping down of the vegetables will thicken the soup.

If a soup is too thin, then you can add cornflour, cornstarch or arrowroot, depending on your taste to thicken it. Just read the instructions on the packet and use it accordingly.

Alternatively, a boiled potato or some boiled rice will thicken – take some liquid out of the soup pan and blend together in a processor. Return to the pan and your soup will be thicker.

If a soup is too thick, then you can let it down with stock, water, milk, wine or cider – remember to taste and adjust the seasoning again as you will have altered the balance from the previous tasting.

Cream

If a recipe states cream, then it is generally heavy/double/thick cream. You can substitute crème fraiche, soured cream, plain yoghurt or you could even leave it out if you prefer.

Seasonings

Well – it’s a matter of personal taste here. I rarely add salt to my soups and certainly not before they are just ready for serving. As previously mentioned, celery salt and garlic salt are good.

I use freshly ground black pepper unless it’s a really elegant soup where the black bits floating around will make the finished dish look bad – but to be honest, I like to see bits of pepper anyway – I love the flavour and the looks.

The tomato soups are good (particularly the Italian ones) with some freshly grated parmesan sprinkled on top – try it.

Cayenne, paprika, curry powder, Tabasco, Worcester sauce are all seasonings I use from time to time if a soup needs a little ‘oomph’!

Blender
Blender/processor are interchangeable. If you don’t have either, then you can use a sieve to puree.  Just push it through the sieve with the back of a large spoon. The results will not be very different.

Serving Suggestions
You can’t go wrong if you offer crusty warm bread and butter with the soup– it makes the soup into a meal in my opinion.

Some of these soups are designed to be more elegant starters but the majority of them would certainly satisfy people for a lunch or tea.

Croutons are good with the more elegant soups and are quick to make.

Cube slices of white bread and fry them off in hot olive oil – you can flavour the oil with garlic, rosemary, dill etc or curry powder depending on the soup you intend to serve them with.

See what flavourings are in the soup and flavour the oil accordingly – nice touch I think. They take about a minute to cook this way.

Some soups are designed to be served over bread, rice, noodles or pasta and there will be instructions in the individual recipe.

Try toasted French stick with parmesan sprinkled on to put in the base of the soup bowl for tomato based soups – just pour the soup over and the heat will melt the cheese - delicious!

For quick Garlic Bread toast some slices of bread on one side, then butter with garlic butter (either crush a clove of garlic, use puree from a tube or garlic salt to taste mixed into softened butter) toast until browned.

You can use any savory butter – once again, like the croutons, see what herbs and spices are in the recipe and use these to reflect the flavour of the bread you use.

Mix a few ounces of parmesan into butter to make cheesy bread – the only limit is your imagination.

Fish Smells
The cooking smells left from fish irritate me – if you put a bowl of vinegar in the kitchen, then somehow it absorbs the smell.

Lemon juice rubbed on your hands after handling fish will remove the smell.

It is best to remove all trimmings from the kitchen to the bin as quickly as you can - that way, you don't leave them around to start smelling.

Don't forget to give your sink a quick clean out as well to get rid of any lingering bits of fish - they will smell given time!

 Seafood Bisque Recipe

Bisque is a thick creamy soup originating from France.

This seafood bisque recipe has a long list of ingredients, but once it's assembled, it's quick to cook.

There is a big variety of fish in this - you don't have to follow it slavishly, if things are too difficult for you to find, then so long as the overall weight is similar, your soup should turn out well.

Cooking is not an exact science - it's an art...

Enjoy

Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) canned plum tomatoes peeled and chopped
1/4 cup, 2 oz (50g)flour
4 fl oz, 1/4 pint (125ml) sherry
8 fl oz, 1/2 pint (250ml) white wine
16 fl oz, 1 pint (500ml) double (thick) cream
32 fl oz, 2 pints (1 litre) milk
1/4 cup, 2oz (50g) scallops
1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) prawns (shrimp)
1/4 cup, 2 oz (50g) crayfish tails
1/4 cup, 2 oz (50g) white crabmeat
1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) clams
1 cup, 8 oz (200g) monkfish, cubed
6 scallions (spring onions) chopped
lemon juice (to taste)
paprika
handful of fresh basil chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

Take a large pot and heat the butter.

When it's frothing, add the onion, garlic and celery and cook till softened.

Add the tomatoes and allow to cook down to a pulp.

Add the flour and make a roux. Take your time at this stage, making sure that the flour is properly combined, or you could end up with a lumpy soup.

Allow the roux to cook for a couple of minutes, keep stirring so it does not go dark.

Add the sherry, white wine, cream and milk slowly, stirring and incorporating the liquid as you go. Allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the seafood, spring onions and bring back up to heat.

Add the basil and taste for seasoning, adding lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper to your own taste.

You can serve it with lovely fresh crusty bread and butter - it makes agood quantity and there will be plenty left for second helpings!

Shellfish Broth

Serves 4 - 6

1 pint,  ½ lbs (675g) mussels – scrubbed and bearded
1 fennel bulb – thinly sliced
1 onion – peeled and chopped
1 leek – thinly sliced
1 carrot – peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic
28 fl oz, 1 ¾ pints (1 litre) water
pinch of curry powder
pinch of saffron
1 bay leaf
2 cups, 1 lb (450g) large raw prawns – peeled
2 cups, 1lb (450g) scallops – shelled
3/4 cup, 6 oz (175g) lobster meat - cooked
salt and pepper
handful fresh chopped parsley to serve

Put the mussels in a pan with a little water and steam open. Reserve the cooking liquid and remove the mussels from their shells.

Put the fennel, onion, leek, carrot, curry powder, saffron and garlic (whole) in a pan and add the water and mussel liquor. Boil and skim then reduce to a simmer and cover.

After about 20 minutes, the vegetables should be tender. Remove the garlic clove.

Add the prawns, scallops and lobster meat and simmer for 1 minute.

Add the mussels and cook a further 3 minutes – the scallops should be opaque and all the shellfish heated through.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Pour into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Smoked Fish Soup

This recipe is absolutely delicious – I really enjoy the saltiness of the fish and the creaminess of the soup – great served with crusty bread and is very warming – real comfort food and so quick to prepare.

Serves 4

1 onion – peeled and finely chopped
16 fl oz, 1 pint (570ml) water
1 1/2 cups, 12 oz (350g) smoked fish – haddock or cod
1/8 cup, 1 oz (25g) butter
1/8 cup, 1 oz (25g) plain flour
handful fresh parsley
16 fl oz, 1 pint (570ml) milk
pepper

Put the water, onion and fish into a pan and cook for 5 minutes until the onion and fish are cooked.

Pour into a blender and add the butter, flour, parsley and milk.

Process until smooth.

Return to the pan and heat up to boiling point, stirring all the time.

Simmer for 2 minutes and add pepper to taste.

Serve garnished with parsley.

Snapper and Okra Soup

Serves 4

2 green bananas
1/4 cup, 2 oz (50g) butter
1 onion – finely chopped
2 tomatoes – skinned and chopped
1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) okra – trimmed and chopped
4 cups, 2lb (950g) red snapper (or mullet) – cleaned and cut into chunks
24 fl oz, 1 ½ pints (900ml) fish stock
1 chill – deseeded and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley to garnish

Slit the skins on the bananas. Put them in a pan, cover with water and simmer for 25 minutes. Leave to cool.

Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and okra and cook a further 10 minutes.

Add the stock and chilli and simmer about 10 minutes.

Add the snapper and cook a further 10 minutes.

Peel and slice the bananas and add to the soup, just heat through.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve garnished with parsley.

Spicy Mussel Soup

Serves 4

3 pints, 3 lbs (1.5k) fresh mussels – scrubbed and bearded
8 fl oz, ½ pint (300ml) white wine
8 fl oz, ½ pint (300ml) water
3 ripe tomatoes – skinned and diced
2 tbspns olive oil
1 onion – peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
2 sticks celery – chopped
6 scallions (spring onions)  – chopped
1 cup, ½ lb (225g) potato – peeled and diced
½ tspn cayenne pepper
½ tspn coriander
½ tspn cumin
1 tspn curry powder
fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
thick cream or yoghurt to serve

Put the wine into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and steam open. Discard any that do not open. Remove the mussels and strain the liquor.

Keep a few mussels in their shells to garnish and remove the rest from their shells.

Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic, celery and spring onions for 5 minutes.

Add the stock and potatoes and spices and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender.

Add the mussels and taste – adjust seasoning.

Serve, garnished with the whole mussels and a spoonful of cream and chopped parsley.

Spinach and Shrimp (Prawn) Soup

Serves 4

1/2 cup, 4 oz (100g) dessicated coconut
8 fl oz, ½ pint (150ml) boiling water
2 cups, 1 lb (450g) spinach – shredded and white stalks removed
1 cup, 8 oz (225g) peeled cooked small shrimp
2 tbspns oil
1 onion – peeled and chopped
1 red chilli – deseeded and chopped
1 clove garlic – peeled and crushed
½ tspn ground turmeric
½ tspn ground cumin
16 fl oz, 1 pint (600ml) vegetable or fish stock

Pour the boiling water over the coconut and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Strain and reserve the ‘milk’ – that’s the water that has soaked the coconut - discard the coconut.

Heat the oil and gently fry the onion, chilli and garlic until softened. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook a further 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and coconut milk and then add the spinach. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the spinach is cooked through.

Add the shrimp and heat through, serve immediately.

Supper Soup

Serves 4

1/8 cup, 1 oz (25g) butter
2 tbspns water
2 cups, 1lb (450g) parsnips peeled and diced
2 cups, 1lb (450g) potatoes peeled and diced
1 cup, 8 oz (225g) leeks – sliced into rings
24 fl oz, 1 ½ pints (900ml) fish stock or water
2 cup size, 14 oz (400g) can peeled chopped Italian plum tomatoes
1 tbspn tomato puree
1 tspn dried oregano
2 cups, 1 lb (450g) white fish fillets – skinned, boned and cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley/chives to garnish

Melt the butter in the water and add the vegetables – ‘sweat’ for about 10 minutes.

Add the stock, tomatoes, puree and oregano and simmer for a further 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the fish and simmer for a further 10 minutes or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve garnished with the parsley and some crusty bread for a substantial supper.

Thai Shrimp Soup

Serves 4

3 cups, 2lbs (900g) raw shrimp (prawns)
32 fl oz, 2 pints (1.2 litres) water
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tspn chilli powder
1 tbspn thai fish sauce
1 red chilli – deseeded and chopped
handful chopped coriander leaves
6 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped

Shell and devein the prawns. Keep the shells and heads

Put the water, juice and rind of the lemon and chilli powder into a large pan. Add the prawn shells and heads and bring to the boil. Skim and simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain the stock and then add the prawns and cook until tender. Stir in the fish sauce.

In the bottom of the soup bowls, put some chopped chilli, coriander leaves and spring onions, then pour the soup over.

Tomato and Fish Soup

Serves 4

2 tbspns olive oil
1 onion – peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic – peeled and crushed
1 green pepper – deseeded and chopped
2 cup size, 14 oz (400g) can peeled chopped Italian plum tomatoes
32 fl oz, 2 pints (1.2litres) fish stock
2 tbspn Worcester sauce
1 1/2 cups, 12 oz (375g) white fish fillets, skinned, boned and cut into chunks
1/4 cup, 2 oz (50g) macaroni or small pasta shapes
1 tspn dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley to serve

Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and pepper for 5 minutes until softened.

Add the tomatoes, stock, Worcester sauce, macaroni, oregano and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the fish and simmer a further 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve garnished with parsley.

This soup would be good with parmesan cheese sprinkled on toasted bread – put a slice in the bottom of the bowl before pouring in the soup –then serve additional parmesan bread as a side dish.

Ukha

This is a Russian soup and once again there are many variations. Some people use lemon instead of lime and dill instead of parsley – give it a try and see which you prefer. This is my favourite version.

Serves 4

1 tbspn oil
1 onion – peeled and finely chopped
24 fl oz, 1 ½ pints (900ml) fish stock
2 cups, 1lb (450g) white fish fillet – skinned, boned and cut into chunks
2 cups, 1lb (450g) potatoes – peeled and diced
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
handful fresh chopped parsley

Fry the onion in the oil until soft.

Add the fish stock and potatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the fish and lime and simmer a further 5 minutes.

Add the lime juice, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve garnished with the parsley.

Vietnamese Fish Soup

Serves 4

2 cups, 1 lb (450g) white fish fillets
2 tspns finely grated fresh ginger
3 tbspns fish sauce
1/3 cup, 3 oz fine noodles
2 tbspns oil
1 large onion – peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic – peeled and crushed
1 tspn turmeric
1 tspn dried shrimp paste
rind of 1 lemon
32 fl oz, 2 pints (1.2 litres) water
3 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped – to garnish
sesame seeds – to garnish

Cut the fish into small pieces and put it into a bowl.

Add the ginger and fish sauce and leave for 30 minutes.

Soak the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.

Heat the oil and gently fry the onion, garlic, turmeric and shrimp paste for about 5 minutes, until the onion is transparent.

Add the lemon rind and water, noodles and fish mixture and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the fish is cooked.

Serve garnished with the onion and a teaspoon of sesame seeds.

Well, that's the end of this 5 part eCourse on Fish and Seafood Soups.

I hope you've enjoyed it.

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Speak soon

Regards

Liz

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