This is so simple. You can either make a fish broth by boiling the head of a fish with a bay leaf and some peppercorns (celery and carrots if you’ve got time to burn), or boil Nordic shrimp and save the cooking water. OR buy a carton or bottle of fish broth. Chicken broth or veggie broth also work, but they’re not as delicate and naturally sweet a flavour. You can use other fish, but I like turbot because it’s local, buttery, and not too, too expensive as far as sustainable fish in Montreal goes. Good substitutions would be wild halibut, porgy, red snapper, and black cod.
Simple Fish Soup with Quebec Turbot
8 cups fish broth
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 branch celery, sliced
6 small new potatoes (grelots), cut in half
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 1/2 lbs fresh turbot fillets, skin removed
Bring the fish broth to a simmer with the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cook 5 minutes. Add the frozen peas and return to a simmer. Two minutes later add the whole turbot fillets. Cook 2 minutes more then cover the pot, remove from the heat, and let sit 4 minutes, until the fish comes apart easily when you poke it with a fork. Divide into serving bowls. You could garnish it with something like parsley or chives if you’re fussy, but it’s perfect just as it is.
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