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Fish Soup With Garlic Sauce
(Ciorba de Peste)
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| What You Need: |
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STOCK
1 pound fish trimmings: the heads, tails and bones of any firm white-fleshed fish
1½ cups coarsely chopped onions
1 medium-sized bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups cold water
FISH SOUP
½ pound boned skinless halibut or other firm white-fleshed fish, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds halibut or other firm white-fleshed fish steaks, each cut 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic mashed to a smooth paste with ½ teaspoon salt
1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Combine the fish trimmings, chopped onions, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt and the 6 cups of water in a heavy 3- to 4-quart enameled or stainless-steel casserole. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.
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2. Strain the entire contents of the casserole through a fine sieve into a deep bowl, pressing down hard on the fish trimmings and onions with the back of a spoon to extract all their juices before discarding them.
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3. Pour the stock back into the casserole and add the chopped fish. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to its lowest point and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the fish can be easily mashed with the back of a spoon.
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4. Puree the contents of the casserole in a food mill, or rub them through a coarse sieve, and return to the casserole. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and immerse the fish steaks in the soup.
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5. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and poach partially covered for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when prodded gently with a fork. Do not overcook.
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6. With a slotted spatula, transfer the steaks to a large heated tureen or individual soup plates. With a whisk, beat 1 cup of the soup into the garlic paste and pour the mixture into a sauceboat.
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7. Add the cucumber and vinegar to the remaining soup, taste for seasoning, and ladle over the fish steaks. Serve at once, accompanied by the garlic sauce.
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