Cream of Fish Soup
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Any cooked white fish can be used in this extra fishy version; coley might replace the cod and thus offset the cost of buying the prawns. It is a marvelous way of using up leftover cooked fish; which has very few other uses, and yet the garnish of whole prawns makes the soup a luxuriously rich party dish. A crushed garlic clove adds good flavour to the soup which should be made with a good home-made fish stock.
SERVES 4
- 450 g [1 lb] cooked cod- 175 g [6 oz] prawns
- 1 garlic clove
- salt and white pepper
- 75 ml [3 fl oz] thick cream
- 50 g [2 oz] butter
For the bechamel sauce:
- 550 ml [1 pt] fish stock- salt and white pepper
- 25 g [1 oz] butter
- 25 g [1 oz] flour
1 Make a roux with the butter and flour. Heat the stock and stir in away from the heat.
2 Return the pan to low heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Crush the garlic clove and add to the sauce with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer for 10minutes. Remove from the heat.
3 Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from the cod. Flake the flesh with a fork. Remove the shells from the prawns and pound in a mortar with a pestle, reserving a few hole prawns for the garnish.
4 Add the fish and prawns to the bechamel sauce and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
5 Reduce the contents of the pan to a puree using a vegetable mill or liquidizer.
6 Return the soup to the pan, taste and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Reheat-gently.
7 Measure the cream into a small bowl. Spoon in some of the hot soup and stir vigorously to mix.
8 Pour the cream and soup mixture back into the hot soup, stirring all the time.
9 Reheat carefully but do not allow to boil. Meanwhile, cut the remaining butter into 5 or 6 pieces.
10 Stir the butter, one piece at a time, into the hot soup to give a final gloss. Adjust the seasoning and serve.