Fish Stock

Fish Stock is a little harder to come by than beef or chicken stock. It's even harder to cheat -- while every food store will carry beef, chicken and veg stock cubes, you won't see fish ones everywhere -- and they are truly awful when you do find them.

The classic ingredients used to be fish heads and bones. Note: used to be. Yes, you can still get these if you live near a proper fish shop or a market, but most of us get our fish now from supermarkets, where it is all sold nicely filleted and sliced with nary a head to be seen. And supermarkets are where we, for the most part, do our shopping these days, even though food writers are loathe to acknowledge this. In fact, food writers really dig in their heels about Fish Stocks. There is even one who dismisses lazy cooks that don't make a Fish Stock. Which lazy cooks would that be, you might wonder? The ones who just came home from working all day, and would like a little time with their kids, or have to get some clothes laundered for work the next day?

Granted, Fish Stocks take very little work, as you'll see, but we just don't have fish heads floating around in stores these days. Terrible situation, but you'll also have a hard time finding heads of sheep, bears and wild boars. Okay, to be serious, yes, you could buy a whole fish, head on, but many people either don't want that much fish, or don't like it with the head on.

So, let's leave aside the food writers for a while, and see how we can get Fish Stock in a way that fits into how we live now. Here are three easy ways.

1. Buy a fillet or steak of fish, poach it in water, eat the fish or freeze for use in another recipe, and then use the water as your Fish Stock. Mackerel does not make good stock, as it is quite oily and very strong tasty. Salmon and bluefin are a bit tricky, too, as they have such distinct tastes that their hearty-tasting stocks won't be for every recipe. Milder fishes such as hake, red mullet, haddock, whiting, sole, gurnard, pollock, flounder, weever or snapper are good to use.
2. If you happen to be shelling your shrimp before cooking them (don't do this if you are barbequing them), simmer the shells in some water for about 20 minutes for a lovely shrimp stock.
3. Basing it on a bottle of clam juice. See recipe for "Fish Stock à l'improviste."

If you happen to get hold of some fish heads or skeletons, wash them thoroughly first before using. Bring to the boil in enough water to cover, skim off any scum, then lower heat and simmer them for about 20 minutes, along with a bay leaf, a peppercorn or two, and a bit of salt.

Any stock you make from fish -- whether bones, heads, fillets or steaks -- needs to be strained very carefully to ensure that no fine fish bones end up in your final stock.

And remember, Fish Stocks cook far faster than do stocks for chicken, beef or meats in general. Simmer for no more than 20 minutes, or it may go bitter.

But the most important thing of all to remember is, if ever you poach fish in water, definitely save and freeze that water -- it's Fish Stock!

Also called:

Clam Juice, Fish, Fish

Dashi, Myulchi Dashida

Fumet