Fish Soup was on the menu for this week. It was the choice of Cindy (Baked Alaska) and is a recipe she created herself to use all of the good fish she gets in Alaska. Several of the other "Soupers" made various adjustments to the recipe, including one who left out the tomatoes and juice and used fish stock and wine in their place. Others added shrimp and scallops, and another plans to use chicken the next time. So, the recipe is very versatile, depending on what you have on hand and what your tastes are.
The fish I used was orange roughy, and I used Herbs de Provence instead of Fish Seasoning. It was SO easy to make (took 30 minutes at the most) - great for a quick meal after coming home from work. We loved it!
Cindy's Fish Soup
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small head fennel, tops discarded, and bulb chopped
¼ cup wine (can be white or red, whatever you have open, or you can skip this altogether)
2 teaspoons fish seasoning (I use Dean & Deluca brand. If you can’t find, you could substitute Herbs de Provence)
1 15.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 5.5 oz can spicy V-8 juice
1 pound firm white fish such as halibut, cod, or rockfish, cut into 1” cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, fennel, and garlic, and sauté until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add the wine, and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the V-8, tomatoes, and fish seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and add the chopped fish. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the fish is cooked through and the flavors have blended, about 15 minutes. Serve with slices of crusty bread that have been toasted in the oven and rubbed with a garlic clove.
Variations: If you would like a spicier soup, you can add a chopped jalapeno to the onions when sautéing, or add some red pepper flakes. I’ve also made this with the addition of potatoes, or with chopped zucchini or yellow squash if I want more veggies in add. I also sometimes season with Sherry Rum Peppers Sauce or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
