Poaching Liquids For Fish

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for Court Bouillon 1 Court Bouillon (opens in new tab) Court Bouillon
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 or 4 sprigs parsley
  • 2 or 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar or lemon juice or 1 cup dry white wine
  • Salt and black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Bring to a boil in a large saucepan: 8 cups water; 2 celery ribs, chopped; 1 small onion, chopped; 3 or 4 sprigs parsley; 2 or 3 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf
  2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Add: ¼ cup sherry vinegar or lemon juice or 1 cup dry white wine
  3. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Strain and season to taste with: Salt and black pepper
• Hide ingredients for Fish Stock or Fumet 1 Fish Stock or Fumet (opens in new tab) Fish Stock or Fumet
  • 2 pounds fish heads, collars, and bones from white fish such as halibut, cod, snapper, bass, or tilefish
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large leek, halved lengthwise, well cleaned, and sliced
  • (½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced, or a few fennel stalks, coarsely chopped)
  • (4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced)
  • (1 to 2 garlic cloves, smashed)
  • (1 cup dry white wine)
  • (4 thin slices lemon)
  • 4 sprigs parsley
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Cold water to cover

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a stockpot: 2 pounds fish heads, collars, and bones from white fish such as halibut, cod, snapper, bass, or tilefish; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 large leek, halved lengthwise, well cleaned, and sliced; (½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced, or a few fennel stalks, coarsely chopped); (4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced); (1 to 2 garlic cloves, smashed); (1 cup dry white wine); (4 thin slices lemon); 4 sprigs parsley; 3 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf
  2. Add: Cold water to cover
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain and cool uncovered, then refrigerate covered. Use within 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
• Hide ingredients for Quick Seafood Stock 1 Quick Seafood Stock (opens in new tab) Quick Seafood Stock
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced, or 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, well rinsed, and thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
  • Four 8-ounce bottles clam juice
  • (Any fish bones or shrimp shells on hand)
  • (¼ small lemon)
  • 3 or 4 sprigs parsley
  • 2 or 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Heat in a medium heavy skillet over medium-low heat: 2 teaspoons olive oil
  2. Add and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft: 1 onion, thinly sliced, or 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, well rinsed, and thinly sliced; 1 carrot, thinly sliced
  3. Add: ½ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
  4. Stir for about 1 minute, then stir in: Four 8-ounce bottles clam juice; (Any fish bones or shrimp shells on hand); (¼ small lemon); 3 or 4 sprigs parsley; 2 or 3 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf
  5. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, skimming and stirring occasionally. Strain and use immediately or let it cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Hide ingredients for Shrimp or Shellfish Stock 1 Shrimp or Shellfish Stock (opens in new tab) Shrimp or Shellfish Stock
  • Shells from 2 pounds shrimp, or 2 picked crab or lobster carcasses, organs and gills removed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small unpeeled onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ teaspoons lightly crushed black peppercorns
  • (Splash of Pernod or ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds)
  • Cold water to cover

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Have ready: Shells from 2 pounds shrimp, or 2 picked crab or lobster carcasses, organs and gills removed
  2. Rinse the shells or carcasses and drain well. Wrap larger crab and lobster shells in a kitchen towel and smash them into small pieces with a rolling pin or the spine of a large knife. Heat in a stockpot over medium-high heat: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  3. Add the shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until their color brightens and they become aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Add: 1 small unpeeled onion, thinly sliced; 1 small carrot, thinly sliced; 1 celery rib, thinly sliced; 1 bay leaf; 1 ½ teaspoons lightly crushed black peppercorns; (Splash of Pernod or ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds)
  4. Add: Cold water to cover
  5. Bring almost to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Strain well. Let cool uncovered, then refrigerate covered. Use within 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
• Hide ingredients for Dashi 1 Dashi (opens in new tab) Dashi
  • One 5 × 4-inch piece kombu
  • 4 ½ cups cold water
  • ⅓ cup katsuobushi

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a saucepan over high heat: One 5 × 4-inch piece kombu; 4 ½ cups cold water
  2. Bring almost to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in: ⅓ cup katsuobushi
  3. Let stand until the flakes begin to sink, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain at once. Let cool uncovered, then refrigerate covered. Reheat dashi gently, and use within 4 days.
• Equal parts white wine, red wine, or sake and water
• Finely diced onion or shallot, or sliced leeks
• Finely diced carrot, celery, or fennel
• Bay leaf, thyme sprigs, or fennel fronds
• One lemongrass stalk, trimmed and pounded with the spine of a knife until bruised and fragrant
• Crushed black peppercorns
• Strips of lemon or orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
• Smashed garlic cloves
• A piece of kombu
• Dried chiles