Christmas Fish Soup by Zdenek Pohlreich

01Method

1. 1

   Place the fish bones, heads and trimmings into a large pot (first remove the gills from the heads to prevent bitterness). Add a few peppercorns and allspice berries, bay leaf, carrot, onion, celery root and parsley root. Cover with cold water, season with salt, and once it reaches a boil, skim the foam from the surface and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Strain the stock through a fine sieve to create a clear base for the soup.

3. 3

   In a separate pot, sauté the shallots in butter until softened. Add the grated carrot and parsley root, then cook briefly. Dust with flour and stir to form a light roux. Gradually pour in the clear fish stock while stirring to avoid lumps. Season with a pinch of nutmeg and add the rinsed and sliced roe. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the cooked fish heads and add it to the pot, then turn off the heat.

4. 4

   Cut a bread roll into small cubes, spread on a baking sheet, and toast slowly in the oven at 140°C until golden, stirring occasionally.

5. 5

   Just before serving, transfer the croutons to a pan and quickly brown them in a little butter.