Stocking Up - Big Y® World Class Market®

Creating a Flavorful, Versatile Fish Stock
Creating a good fish stock is no longer the exclusive province of gourmet chefs. It’s a new staple to keep on hand, something that instantly imparts a depth of flavor to any number of dishes, just as you use beef or chicken stock. Flavorful fish stock can be the basis of a savory soup, the backbone of a hearty stew or an extra layer of flavoring to a unique side dish.

Savory and satisfying, soup is always a family favorite. Warm up with one of our classic seafood soups today - fresh from our Seafood Department. Choose from New England clam chowder, cioppino or lobster bisque.

The Basics
The basics of making a good fish stock could not be easier. In fact, the best-tasting stocks consist of nothing more than fish bones or heads simmered in water for around 20 minutes. Instead of bones or scraps, you can also use a
pound or two of fish fillets, cut into small chunks. (Mild, inexpensive fish such as haddock, cod, pollock and flounder are excellent for this purpose.) Keep in mind that if you do decide to use fish fillets for your stock, they will be cooked and ready to use in other recipes once your stock has simmered!

Flavor Variations
From that base, there are a wealth of ingredients you can add to your simmering pot for other layers of flavor, such as:

• White wine
• Chopped vegetables such as leeks, carrots or fennel bulb
• Crushed fresh garlic
• Sliced ginger root
• Herbs like tarragon, basil or chervil
• Orange or lemon peel

Uses
How you flavor your stock will depend on what you eventually plan on using it for. Freezing it for later use for unplanned meals? Keep it lightly flavored (if you add any extra seasonings at all), for two reasons. First, all flavors will intensify when your stock is reduced. Second, you’ll want to give yourself as much seasoning flexibility as possible in future recipes. Planning on using your stock as the base for a soup? You’ll want plenty of flavor then - add extra ingredients to
your taste preference.

Will your stock serve as a building block for a sauce, stew or other dish? Add the
flavorings you like, but use a light hand to avoid overpowering the other ingredients in your recipe.

Storing
If you do choose to freeze your extra fish stock for later use, reduce your
stock first so that the flavors are as concentrated as possible. To do this,
strain the stock after you’re done simmering it, then put the strained
stock into a clean saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it has reduced in volume by about half. Let the stock cool, then place 1 tablespoon of stock in each well of an ice cube tray and freeze. Once the cubes are solid, place them in a resealable plastic freezer bag for storage. Fish stock will last in the freezer for about 1 month. You’ll have ready-to-use cubes of stock. Just drop a few cubes (according to the recipe) into your dish as it’s cooking.

Simple Fish Stock

Bouillabaisse