Delia Smith Fish Soup Recipe

On the table in under an hour, Delia Smith’s fish soup starts with potatoes and three cloves of garlic softened in olive oil. Cubes of haddock, cod or whiting go in with tomatoes, basil and a home-made fish stock, and the pot simmers for only 15 minutes before the parsley. It’s a hearty lunch for 3 or 4, and it’s never blended.

She calls it her garlicky fish soup, printed in both editions of her Complete Cookery Course, in 1983 and again in the 1992 revision. In her own words it’s half soup and half chowder, which is why it eats more like a meal than a starter.

Its stock comes from the same chapter, simmered for 20 minutes from fish trimmings, white wine, onion, celery and herbs. That stock, by her account, is the base for all kinds of fish soups and sauces.

The garlic and tomato give it a sunny, Mediterranean feel, the potatoes soften into the broth, and the fish stays in soft chunks. If you’d like a creamy, smoky bowl instead, her smoked haddock chowder is the other fish soup in her books.

Delia Smith’s Garlicky Fish Soup

Recipe by Anne Morgan

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

270

kcal

Chunky and garlicky, with cubes of white fish, potato and tomato in a light fish broth.

Ingredients

• For the fish stock:

• 450g (1lb) fish trimmings

• 570ml (1 pint) water

• 150ml (5fl oz) dry white wine

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• a few parsley sprigs

• 1 bay leaf

• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

• salt and freshly milled black pepper

• For the soup:

• 450g (1lb) haddock, cod or whiting fillets, skinned and cut into smallish cubes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 450g (1lb) fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or a 400g (14oz) tin Italian tomatoes, chopped

• 1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried basil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

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Directions

• Stock: Put the fish trimmings in a large pan with the water, wine, onion, celery, parsley sprigs, bay leaf and thyme, and season. Bring it to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, then strain it and keep the liquid.
• Soften: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole, add the potatoes and garlic and cook them for about 5 minutes.
• Simmer: Pour in the fish stock and add the cubes of fish and the tomatoes. Stir in the basil and a squeeze of lemon juice, then simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the potato is soft and the fish flakes at a touch.
• Serve: Taste and season, then stir in the parsley just before serving.

Notes

• Ask the fish counter for trimmings such as heads and bones for the stock. Avoid oily fish like mackerel, which would make it bitter, which is my own advice.
• Run your fingers over the fillets before cubing them to find any pin bones, my own habit.

FAQs

Can I use less garlic?

You can, but she asks you not to leave it out altogether. Her 1983 printing makes that point, and adds that this soup always makes her think of the south of France.

That printing also uses only tinned tomatoes and dried basil, while the 1992 version also allows peeled ripe tomatoes and chopped basil leaves. Either way, the garlic softens in the oil with the potatoes, so it mellows a good deal.

What other stock can I use?

A shellfish one. On the same page as the fish stock, she gives a shellfish stock that she rates as particularly good. Swap the 450g of fish trimmings for the shells left over from peeling prawns and keep everything else the same.

Her stock chapter also suggests one occasional stock-making session and freezing the surplus, which saves time on the day. I’d freeze it in 570ml tubs, one for each batch of soup.

What’s her shortcut version?

Her soupe de poissons “with the works” in Delia’s How to Cheat at Cooking (2008) starts from a jar of ready-made French fish soup. She heats it gently with white crab meat, a little lobster meat, half-fat crème fraîche and a splash of Cognac or sherry, without letting it boil.

The works are croutons, grated Gruyère and a quick rouille: two fat garlic cloves crushed with sea salt, a rounded teaspoon of hot paprika and a heaped tablespoon of mayonnaise. It serves 2 to 3, or 4 as a starter.

How far ahead can I cook it?

Up to a day for the base. My own way is to cook the potatoes, garlic, stock and tomatoes, then cool and chill them for up to a day.

Add the fish when you reheat it, and give it its 15 minutes then, so the cubes don’t break up or overcook. Bring it right back to a simmer before serving.