Easy Fish Stock Recipe
Making homemade fish stock is a breeze. Plus, it freezes well for up to a year! All you need is the parts of the fish you might otherwise discard, a splash of wine, some aromatics and simple vegetables, such as onions, garlic, leeks, celery stalks and fennel bulb. Here’s a simple fish stock recipe to get you started.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 900 g 2 lb white fish trimmings (bones, heads, collars, fins)
- ½ yellow or white onion roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
- ½ small fennel bulb roughly chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves smashed
- water enough to cover, about 8 cups
- 2 large leeks white and light green parts only, roughly chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 large bay leaf
- 10 black and white peppercorns
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- ½ lemon sliced
Instructions
- Chop the Vegetables: Roughly chop the onion, garlic, celery, fennel bulb, and leeks.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large pot, add the fish trimmings, chopped vegetables, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, and white wine.
- Add Water: Pour in enough water to cover everything, about 8 cups.
- Simmer the Fish Stock: Place the pot over medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Once it starts simmering, lower the heat to prevent boiling, which can make the stock cloudy. Simmer for 30 minutes, and skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- Add Lemon: Add the sliced lemon to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Steep for More Flavor: Turn off the heat and remove the lemon slices. Let the stock steep for another 30 minutes to deepen the flavors.
- Strain the Stock: Once the stock has developed its flavor, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into another pot or large bowl. You can discard the solids or press them against the sieve to get more mashed vegetable pulp into the stock, depending on your preference.
- Cool and Store: Let the stock cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers.
Refrigerate or Freeze:
- Refrigerate: Store the stock in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the stock for up to 12 months. Divide it into smaller portions for easy use later.
- Defrosting: When you're ready to use the frozen stock, thaw it in the fridge overnight or place the container in a bowl of cold water to speed up the process. Once defrosted, bring it to a simmer before using.
Notes
Uses for Fish Stock:
Homemade fish stock is perfect for soups, stews, risottos, paellas, chowders, or as a flavorful base for seafood sauces.