I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
- probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?

Cathy

Here's the recipe:

Scampi Cream Soup

4 cups or more fish bones and scraps
4 cups vegetable stock
1-1/2 pounds medium shrimp
1/2 cup oil
1 onion, minced
1 large carrot, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste or puree
2-1/2 tablespoons cognac
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup rice flour
water
salt, pepper
2 egg yolks


Combine fish bones and vegetable stock in a large saucepan. Bring to a
boil. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn red, about 2 minutes.
Remove shrimp from liquid and set aside. Strain and reserve liquid.

Peel shrimp and reserve shells. Dice peeled shrimp and set aside.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and add shrimp shells, onion,
carrot and celery. Cook until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes.

Add tomato and stir in tomato paste. Bring to simmer again. Add cognac
and ignite (being careful to keep hands, face and clothing away from
flames). Let flames die down. Add reserved liquid and simmer 10
minutes.

Strain soup into clean saucepan. Add 1-1/2 cups whipping cream and
bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer 10 minutes.

Whisk rice flour with a small amount of water to make a loose paste
and stir into soup. Add reserved diced shrimp and salt and pepper to
taste.

(May be prepared 1 day ahead to this point - refrigerate until final
preparation).

Just before serving, bring soup to a boil. Remove from heat. Blend egg
yolks with remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream. Whisk a small amount of
soup into egg yolk mixture, then return to remaining soup. Do no
reheat or the eggs will curdle.

cathy wrote:
> I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
> times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
> occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
> be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
> kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
> - probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
> kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?
>
> Cathy
>

Shrimp shells and/or fish heads -- just about any variety. Do a quick
search for "court bouillon". Use spices like thyme, black pepper,
lemon, and bayleaf. (IMHO) Also chervil and tarragon come to mind for
some reason.

You can use bottled clam juice as a substitute or fortifier in some
recipes; don't know about yours.

HTH :-)

Bob

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 21:10:09 GMT, cathy
> > wrote:
>
> >[snip] .... it seems to me that the
> >kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> >would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?
>
> The best fish stock is made using a combination of fish, avoiding
> anything that's too oily. I'll still use salmon scraps though, in
> moderation, just no skin. Mackerel would be a very bad choice.
>
> Go to your local fish counter and they'll usually sell you what
> you need pretty cheap. You can even through in some crab
> carapaces.

Avoid the strongest flavored fish like salmon and tuna, and the oiliest
fish like mackerel or bluefish or dorado. Any whitefish or bottom fish
works. Shrimp shells and crab carcasses add a good nuance. Bottled
clam juice is a barely tolerable substitute for fish stock (too much of
one note), but a pretty good addition, in moderation, to a fish stock.
-aem

cathy wrote:
> I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
> times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
> occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
> be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
> kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
> - probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
> kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?
>
> Cathy
>
> Here's the recipe:
>
> Scampi Cream Soup
>
> 4 cups or more fish bones and scraps
> 4 cups vegetable stock
> 1-1/2 pounds medium shrimp
> 1/2 cup oil
> 1 onion, minced
> 1 large carrot, minced
> 2 stalks celery, minced
> 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
> 1 tablespoon tomato paste or puree
> 2-1/2 tablespoons cognac
> 2 cups whipping cream
> 1/4 cup rice flour
> water
> salt, pepper
> 2 egg yolks

That recipe is just plain wrong/fercockt. I wouldn't use a generic fin
fish stock for shrimp soup. Make the stock from the shrimp shells...
using any old fish scraps for a delicate creamed shrimp soup results in
taste in ass bisque... before using mixed fish heads you'd be better
off to use bottled clam juice. When you buy your shrimp ask the fish
monger for extra raw shrimp shells, they usually have a barrel full,
will give you all you need for free. Would you prepare eggnog with rum
and brandy... knowing some of yoose you'd choose muscatel and concord.

What's with yoose peeps... this is Basic Cooking 101... just because
someone finds a screwy recipe doesn't mean yoose gotta go along with
the program by supporting it, that's not only a disservice, it's sad.

I'm surprised that recipe doesn't list mushrooms and cheese.

Sheldon Shellfish

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> cathy wrote:
> > I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
> > times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
> > occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
> > be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
> > kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
> > - probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
> > kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> > would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?
> >
> > Cathy
> >
>
> Shrimp shells and/or fish heads -- just about any variety. Do a quick
> search for "court bouillon". Use spices like thyme, black pepper,
> lemon, and bayleaf. (IMHO) Also chervil and tarragon come to mind for
> some reason.
>
> You can use bottled clam juice as a substitute or fortifier in some
> recipes; don't know about yours.
>
> HTH :-)
>
> Bob

I bought some shrimp, heads on, at Fiesta a bit ago.
Saved the heads in the freezer for that very thing.
While I was there, I also requested some fish heads.

All they had were HYOOGE catfish heads!

So, I made my fish stock for soup with shrimp heads and catfish heads.

It was fanTAStic when I got done with it! ;-d

Catfish makes a very mild stock and the shrimp heads added some zip.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

cathy wrote:

> So, what would be the best fish to use to make a stock?


A dead one.

gloria p

"cathy" > wrote in message
...
> I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
> times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
> occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
> be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
> kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
> - probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
> kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?

Avoid oily/darker fleshed fish completely - no salmon, no sardines, no
mackerel etc. Go with some nice white fish parts - almost anything fresh (in
fact I can't think of anything that wouldn't work, but it likely exists) -
cod, whiting - you know the ones. Crustacean bits would work with this too
IMO, very well.

> Cathy
>
> Here's the recipe:
>
> Scampi Cream Soup
>
> 4 cups or more fish bones and scraps
> 4 cups vegetable stock
> 1-1/2 pounds medium shrimp
> 1/2 cup oil
> 1 onion, minced
> 1 large carrot, minced
> 2 stalks celery, minced
> 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
> 1 tablespoon tomato paste or puree
> 2-1/2 tablespoons cognac
> 2 cups whipping cream
> 1/4 cup rice flour
> water
> salt, pepper
> 2 egg yolks
>
>
> Combine fish bones and vegetable stock in a large saucepan. Bring to a
> boil. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn red, about 2 minutes.
> Remove shrimp from liquid and set aside. Strain and reserve liquid.
>
> Peel shrimp and reserve shells. Dice peeled shrimp and set aside.
>
> Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and add shrimp shells, onion,
> carrot and celery. Cook until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes.
>
> Add tomato and stir in tomato paste. Bring to simmer again. Add cognac
> and ignite (being careful to keep hands, face and clothing away from
> flames). Let flames die down. Add reserved liquid and simmer 10
> minutes.
>
> Strain soup into clean saucepan. Add 1-1/2 cups whipping cream and
> bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer 10 minutes.
>
> Whisk rice flour with a small amount of water to make a loose paste
> and stir into soup. Add reserved diced shrimp and salt and pepper to
> taste.
>
> (May be prepared 1 day ahead to this point - refrigerate until final
> preparation).
>
> Just before serving, bring soup to a boil. Remove from heat. Blend egg
> yolks with remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream. Whisk a small amount of
> soup into egg yolk mixture, then return to remaining soup. Do no
> reheat or the eggs will curdle.

Oooo, now THIS sounds good! Thanks ',;~}~



Shaun aRe

"cathy" > wrote in message
...
>I have this recipe for Scampi Cream soup that I've made a couple of
> times a looong time ago. I was just looking at it today and something
> occurred to me that never did before - the recipe calls for a stock to
> be made using 4 cups of fish bones and scraps. But it doesn't say what
> kind of fish scraps to use. I honestly don't recall what I used before
> - probably cod or something like that. But it seems to me that the
> kind of fish you use will affect the taste of the stock. So, what
> would be the best fish scraps and bones to use to make a stock?
>

Ask the fishmonger for fish heads, they make great stock. You want
white-fleshed fish, not stronger ones like salmon and mackerel. Almost
anything will do - flounder, cod, bass, etc.


--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?

Ended up going to the local oriental market and found frozen cod
heads. - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
> they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?
>
> Ended up going to the local oriental market and found frozen cod
> heads. - Mike
>

Probably because they don't have any - everything comes to them already
trimmed and wrapped.

Peter Aitken

In article >,
Steve Wertz > wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 11:19:28 -0500, Michael Horowitz
> > wrote:
>
> >The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
> >they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?
>
> Most large chains don't prepare/dress their fish in the store.
> None that I can think of.
>
> -sw

Too true.

So they are NOT going to have fish heads!

I get mine at Fiesta Mexican market, or My Thanh oriental market.

Both have tanks of live fish. Tilapia and Catfish.

Catfish heads combined with Shrimp heads made a FABULOUS stock.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> Catfish heads combined with Shrimp heads made a FABULOUS stock.

That just proves you're a cheap date... serve you codfish bisque with
one small shimp for garnish... would you like a bit of white with that,
Boonesfarm! LOL

On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 18:38:09 GMT, "P.Aitken" > wrote:

>
>
>Michael Horowitz wrote:
>
>> The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
>> they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?
>>
>> Ended up going to the local oriental market and found frozen cod
>> heads. - Mike
>>
>
>Probably because they don't have any - everything comes to them already
>trimmed and wrapped.
>
>Peter Aitken


Nope; The fishes are laid out on the ice, and the guy scales and
cleans them as you wait - Mike

In article . com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >
> > Catfish heads combined with Shrimp heads made a FABULOUS stock.
>
> That just proves you're a cheap date... serve you codfish bisque with
> one small shimp for garnish... would you like a bit of white with that,
> Boonesfarm! LOL
>

<rolls eyes> Catfish heads are all Fiesta had on hand.
I really don't like Tilapia...

Don't underestimate the flavor dear! :-)

And I'll have Rose' with that, thanks!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
Michael Horowitz > wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 18:38:09 GMT, "P.Aitken" > wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Michael Horowitz wrote:
> >
> >> The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
> >> they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?
> >>
> >> Ended up going to the local oriental market and found frozen cod
> >> heads. - Mike
> >>
> >
> >Probably because they don't have any - everything comes to them already
> >trimmed and wrapped.
> >
> >Peter Aitken
>
>
> Nope; The fishes are laid out on the ice, and the guy scales and
> cleans them as you wait - Mike

So just buy whole fish, scaled only, and save the heads yourself.

You CAN freeze them.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 18:38:09 GMT, "P.Aitken" > wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Michael Horowitz wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The last time I went to the local markets (large chains), they said
>>>they couldn't give/sell me fish bones, scraps, heads. Any reason?
>>>
>>>Ended up going to the local oriental market and found frozen cod
>>>heads. - Mike
>>>
>>
>>Probably because they don't have any - everything comes to them already
>>trimmed and wrapped.
>>
>>Peter Aitken
>
>
>
> Nope; The fishes are laid out on the ice, and the guy scales and
> cleans them as you wait - Mike
>
>

Have you asked why you can't have them? Probably some stupid liability
issue. Time to find another fish market?

Peter