Equipment
Ingredients
Fish and Liquids
- 1000 g white fish bones and heads, rinsed, gills removed
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 1500 ml water, cold
Aromatics
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g leek, sliced, white and light green parts only
- 100 g celery, chopped
- 100 g fennel bulb, chopped
- 10 g parsley stems
- 2 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 g black peppercorns, whole
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Thoroughly rinse the fish bones and heads under cold water, meticulously removing any trace of gills, bloodlines, or organs to ensure a clear, sweet-tasting stock.
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the sliced leek, chopped celery, and chopped fennel, then gently sweat the vegetables without browning until softened.
Pour the dry white wine into the stockpot to deglaze, scraping any bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by half to cook off the raw alcohol flavor.
Add the prepared fish bones, cold water, parsley stems, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and black peppercorns to the stockpot. Slowly bring the liquid to a gentle simmer around 85°C/185°F.
Simmer the stock gently for 30 minutes. Use a skimmer to periodically remove any white foam or grey impurities that rise to the surface.
Remove the stockpot from the heat. Carefully pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean heat-proof container, discarding the bones and vegetables without pressing on them.
Cool the stock rapidly by placing the container in an ice bath before transferring to the refrigerator, or use immediately as a base for soups and stews.
Chef's Notes
- Always ask your fishmonger for white-fleshed fish bones like cod, halibut, or snapper. Avoid oily fish like salmon, mackerel, or tuna as they create a cloudy, aggressively strong stock.
- Starting with cold water is crucial; it helps extract proteins slowly, allowing them to coagulate and rise to the surface so you can skim them off before they boil back into the stock.
- Unlike meat stocks that simmer for hours or days, fish stock captures the ephemeral essence of the sea in just 30 minutes. Cooking it longer will extract bitter calcium from the bones.
- Avoid using carrots in fish stock if you want to maintain a pure, pale color, which is preferred in classic French fumet preparations.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool completely before transferring to airtight containers.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in ice cube trays or quart containers for easy portioning.
Reheating: Bring to a gentle simmer before using in recipes.
