North Pacific Rockfish Makes Soups, Stews and Chowders better

One of the essential characteristics of a superb soup, stew or chowder is the broth and its ability to satisfy our cravings for flavor and nutrients.  A dull flat cloudy broth with bits of food floating in it will never compare to the gelatinous umami of a carefully prepared broth containing at least one of the following: bone marrow, collagen, and sulphur containing compounds. North Pacific Rockfish fillets or whole fish with the scales removed are an excellent source of collagen for making superb soups, stews and chowders. 

Because rockfish is a delicately flavored white fish it cooks relatively quickly compared to bones and pairs well with mild flavored sulphur containing compounds commonly found in root vegetables and seaweed. Owing to its speedy cooking time, rockfish soup requires 1/3 less water and only half the weight in fish than bone weight required for same volume of finished broth.  The collagen in rockfish is responsible for its incredibly satisfying contribution to soups, stews and chowders.

Using the following variations for broth or soup-like rockfish recipes I vary my ingredients accordingly:

Soup
Prepare the vegetable component of the broth first.  Using approximately 8 cups of water for every 1 lb of rockfish.  Saute 1 lbs of bite size chopped vegetables in light oil for 5 minutes then add  water, and simmer for up to 30 min before adding the rockfish until vegetables are barely tender.  Add boneless rockfish cut into bite size pieces to soup base and simmer for additional 30 min. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool a bit to combine flavors.  Avoid over stirring to keep vegetables and rockfish intact. Reheat gently if necessary before serving.  

Soup variations - for Italian and Mexican style soups I always add fresh or canned tomato and garlic.  My favorite vegetable ingredients include celery, onions, carrots, and jalopanos. Fresh herbs can be added when the rockfish is added or immediately after soup is removed from the heat combining its flavors. Spices add body and depth of flavor that compliments the fish.  Mexican soup may include cumin, coriander, paprika and/or crushed cayenne pepper flakes. I don't often thicken Mexican or Italian soups rather add pasta or beans or more vegetables.  Spinach is nice in Italian soups.  Smaller beans and pasta are better than bigger.  A little goes a long way. Add beans and pasta and cook completelyly until done before adding rockfish.  After adding the rockfish, simmer with the lid off to reduce the flavors down while cooking. The broth base can be made using any root vegetable [parsnip, turnip, potato, yuca]. Typically I don't buy root vegetables for my soups' broth rather I use any left over raw vegetables in my fridge to make a soup. Other terrific mild flavored vegetables with sulphur containing compounds include mushrooms, kelp seaweed, and anything in the onion family. Keep in mind that brightly colored vegetables will affect the color of your broth and starchy vegetables may make your broth cloudy unless you are making chowder in which case they will add body.

Variations on creamed rockfish soup such as potato rockfish soup or corn chowder are thickened with flour and milk.  The base for these soups is made the same way except using 4 cups water and 4 cups milk and 4 Tbs flour.  Mix the flour into the milk to prevent lumps and add to the vegetable broth after it has simmered for 30 min.  Potatoes are usually sauteed with the onion, celery and garlic in the beginning and cooked right into the broth.

All of the recipes can be made with vegetable stock to save 30 min cook time making the broth.

While soups are nearly my favorite style recipe, rockfish can be simmered in a shallow sauce just enough to retain moisture and coat any noodles or rice.

The collagen in rockfish is great for saucy dishes. 

Rockfish saute in sauce - Dust rockfish servings lightly with flour and sear in hot oil until flour is just browned on both sides flipping once.  Set rockfish aside.  Using the same pan, saute bite size any three vegetables for 5 min until just starting get tender and glossy.  Add tsp butter or more oil. Thicken with flour or corn starch added to 2 cups of liquid no lumps [whisked well]. Simmer the liquid with the vegetables for additional 5 minutes then add rockfish back to the pan.  Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes before serving to thoroughly combine flavors. If you over thicken add a water or additional reserved liquid 1/2 cup at a time until desired thickness is achieved. I use approx 1 TBS of flour or 1 tsp of corn starch for every 2 cups of liquid for a desired thickness enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon while still dripping down the bowl of the spoon.

Suitable liquids for making Rockfish Sauteed in Sauce include: water+lemon juice, water+wine, soysauce+orange or pineapple juice+mirin+raw sugar+water+splash sesame seed oil, vegetable broth+water, crushed tomatoes+wine+water, butter+lemon juice+wine.  Taste the liquid before adding to the recipe.  If you like it room temp or cold then you will love it cooked and simmered with rockfish. 

Rockfish makes soups, sauces and stews better faster.

Best,
Amanda Bossard

Otolith Sustainable Seafood