Fish Soup With Rice

Name: Fish Soup With Rice
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: turkish
Ingredients: 4 cups fish stock, if available, plus 2 cups water; otherwise, 6 cups water; 2 bay leaves, preferably Turkish; 1 teaspoon oregano; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 dried red medium-hot pepper, like an ancho chili; 1 large onion, peeled and quartered; 1 large carrot, scraped and cut in chunks; 2 medium tomatoes, quartered; 1 whole fish, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, or about 2 pounds fish steaks or fillets (use cod, haddock, halibut, sea bass or snapper); 1 large potato, peeled and cut in bite-size cubes; 2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup white rice; 2 eggs; Juice of 2 lemons; 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes, or more to taste; Salt to taste; Finely chopped Italian parsley for garnish

By Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Updated Jan. 9, 2025

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Rating: 4(26)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: Culinary Secrets of a Chef and a Captain on a Turkish Cruise

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

4cups fish stock, if available, plus 2 cups water; otherwise, 6 cups water
2bay leaves, preferably Turkish
1teaspoon oregano
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1dried red medium-hot pepper, like an ancho chili
1large onion, peeled and quartered
1large carrot, scraped and cut in chunks
2medium tomatoes, quartered
1whole fish, 3 to 3½ pounds, or about 2 pounds fish steaks or fillets (use cod, haddock, halibut, sea bass or snapper)
1large potato, peeled and cut in bite-size cubes
2 to 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
⅓cup white rice
2eggs
Juice of 2 lemons
¼teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
Salt to taste
Finely chopped Italian parsley for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a stockpot, combine the fish stock and the water. Add the bay leaves, oregano, 1 teaspoon of the black pepper, red pepper, onion, carrot and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very soft, about 35 minutes. Strain the stock, pressing the vegetables firmly to extract all the juices.
Step 2
Return the strained stock to the pot and add the fish. Cook the fish at a slow simmer until the flesh flakes easily. (Boneless fillets will cook very quickly, in two or three minutes, depending on the thickness. A whole fish may take as much as 25 to 30 minutes.) Remove the fish when done and, if using a whole fish or fish steaks, discard skin and bones. Set the flesh aside in a bowl, drizzling one or two tablespoons of oil over the top to keep it from drying out.
Step 3
Add the potato cubes to the stock and cook for 10 minutes or so, or until the potato pieces are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove and pile the potatoes on top of the fish pieces. Drizzle another tablespoon or two of oil over the top of the potatoes.
Step 4
Add rice to the fish stock and cook gently for 45 minutes. The rice should disintegrate into the stock and give it a slightly gelatinous consistency. The recipe may be made ahead of time up to this point and refrigerated if necessary.
Step 5
When ready to serve, add the fish and potatoes to the stock and return it to a slow simmer. In a bowl, beat together the eggs and lemon juice until thoroughly mixed. Slowly beat a ladleful of hot stock into the egg mixture, and continue adding la dlefuls one by one, beating constantly, until the egg mixture is close to the temperature of the simmering stock. Carefully stir the hot-egg mixture into the stock. Continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the stock has thickened slightly. Do not let the stock boil or the eggs will scramble.
Step 6
When the soup is thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in the hot pepper flakes as well as the salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately, garnished with a little chopped green parsley.