Clear Fish Stock
A lean stock relies on the quality of your raw materials. Always use bones from non-oily white fish like snapper, sole, or halibut, and skip the skin to keep the color bright and the flavor clean.
Remove the gills at all costs.
Gills contain blood and impurities that will turn your stock dark and metallic. If your fishmonger hasn't cleaned the heads, take a pair of kitchen shears to them before you begin.
- large heavy-bottomed stockpot
- fine-mesh sieve
- cheesecloth
- ladle
What goes in.
- 3 lbwhite fish bones and heads, cleaned of gills
- 1large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 1fennel bulb, sliced
- 1/2 cupdry white wine
- 4parsley stems
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 3 qtcold filtered water
Maintain a gentle poach, not a boil
A rolling boil emulsifies the fish fat and oils into the water, resulting in an opaque, milky stock. Keep the heat low enough that only the occasional bubble breaks the surface.
The method.
Rinse the bones
Run the bones under cold, running water for several minutes until the water runs clear and all traces of blood are gone.
Sweat the aromatics
Place the leeks and fennel in the pot with a small splash of oil over low heat. Cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Deglaze
Pour in the wine, increase heat to medium, and scrape the bottom of the pot. Let the liquid reduce by half.
Simmer
Add the fish bones, parsley, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water. Bring to a bare simmer, then cook for 30 minutes. Skim any grey foam that rises to the surface.
Strain
Line your sieve with damp cheesecloth. Gently pour the stock through without pressing on the solids, which would cloud the liquid.
Other turns to take.
Shellfish Base
Add crushed shrimp or lobster shells during the sweating phase for a deeper, earthier profile suitable for bisque.
Asian-Style
Add sliced ginger and bruised lemongrass stalks to the pot during the simmer.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never add salt to the stock while it cooks; wait until you are using it in a final dish so you can control the seasoning.
Stock freezes well; portion it into containers and keep it for up to three months.
If you have extra heads, store them in the freezer until you have enough to fill your pot.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salmon bones?
It is not recommended. Salmon is high in oil, which makes for a heavy, strong-smelling stock that can overpower the ingredients you plan to cook with it.
Why did my stock turn bitter?
Most often, this happens because the fish heads were not thoroughly cleaned of gills or because the stock was boiled too hard for too long.
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