A proper fish stock is essential if you want to get the same depth and richness of flavour for your paella, bouillabaisse or fish soup as restaurants do. Trust us, it's worth the effort!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp good quality light olive oil
- Shells and heads of 8 tiger prawns (see below)
- 1 fish head or bones of 1 fish
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 2 fennel bulbs, diced
- 5 spring onions, thickly sliced
- 3 plum tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
- 125ml brandy
- Bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 tsp sea salt
Method
- 1. To make the stock, heat the olive oil and cook the prawn heads, shells and fish head or bones for 1-2 minutes in a large saucepan (large enough for all the ingredients and 1.8 litres of water), breaking up the shells with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, fennel and spring onions and sweat over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they start to caramelise. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and paprika and cook for 5 minutes more.
- 2. Pour the brandy into a ladle, light with a match and then immediately pour over the stock, allowing the alcohol to burn away. Deglaze the pan with a little hot water, scraping all the caramelised ingredients from the bottom with a wooden spoon, then add the thyme, bay leaves and 1.8 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, reducing the liquid to leave about 1.1 litres of stock.