Conference turris::cooks

    this might help.  i saw it in the cookbook that i have here in work
    and though i haven't tried it; i bet its real good.
    
    quick and easy fish stock
    
    1 1/4 cups water
    1 cup bottled clam juice
    1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
    1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
    3 springs parsley
    
    combine all ingredients and simmer gently over low heat until liquid
    reduces in volume by one third.  strain and adjust seasoning before
    using; clam juice tends to be a bit salty.
    
    let me know how it turns out.
    carla jeanne
                

    
    Clare,
    
     I don't know if this helps, but I don't make my own fish stock
    either.  I've never seen it in cubes, but I buy jars of fish soup
    base at specialty food markets.  I've also seen it offered by mail
    in the back of cooking magazines.
    
     Good luck.
    
    DM

    re .0
    
    I've heard that clam juice (available in bottles in most markets) is
    a good substitute for fish stock. We've used clam juice when making
    chowders and bisques and we've had excellent results.
    
    mike

    
    I have used Knorr Fish Stock Cubes.  And isn't Knorr a Swiss company
    
    so that I would think they are available in England too.
    

    
    Both Knorr and Maggi (both Swiss companies I believe) make Fish
    Stock cubes.
    
    I have seen both in Chinese grocers in London's Chinatown, as well
    as the one in Manchester... However I don't recall seeing them in
    grocers and supermarkets dealing with the native population of the
    Isles... :-)
    
    /. Ian .\

    
    
     Soup d'Poisson
    
     3-4 lbs of mixed fish <bass,cod,flounder,haddock,whiting, etc.
    			    don't use oily fish like blue or mackerel.
    			    whole fish that have been cleaned & scaled
    			    but not skinned are the best. You can also
    			    use fish frames & heads.>
    
     4 large onions chopped
     1 Cup olive oil
     1/2 Bulb garlic, crushed but not peeled
     4 large very ripe tomatoes <use canned if you can't get very ripe
    				 ones. DON'T use the regular supermarket
    				 flannel ones!!!>
     2 sprigs thyme
     1 bay leaf
     2 sprigs fennel <if you can't find fresh fennel use 1TBSP of fennel
                      seeds.>
     2 Quarts water
     1/2 tsp ground saffron
     fresh ground black pepper to taste
    
     Method,
    
     Sweat the onions in the oil but don't let them brown until soft
     and transparent. Turn up the heat and add the fish, tomatoes, garlic,
     and herbs. Stir vigoursly while cooking for about 10min. Then add
     the water, salt lightly, and boil vigoursly for 30min. Put the
     soup through a food mill and then a fine sieve pressing hard to
     extract all the juices. Return the soup to the heat and bring to
     a gentle boil. Add the saffron and black pepper. 
    
     Some personal mod's to the recipe. I add a good size piece of orange
     zest when I add the water. This little trick I learned from my
     neighbor on the Cote d'Azur. I also like to thicken the soup alittle
     with about 1TBSP of corn starch mixed with alittle water. This
     adds alittle more body to the soup.
                                       
    
     Rouille
    
     2 little dried red chilies de-stemmed
     coarse salt
     fresh ground black pepper
     1 small bunch of basil leaves
     3 cloves of garlic
     1 thick slice of white bread, firm textured with the crusts removed
       soaked in warm water and then squeezed dry.
     1 roasted red pepper <you can use the canned ones or roast your
                           own. Pastene makes some good ones.>
     3/4 - 1 Cup of olive oil
    
     the old way,
    
     pound the chilies in a mortar until a powder, add the salt, pepper,
     basil, garlic and pound until a smooth paste. Add the bread and
     pound again, add the red pepper and pound until a very smooth puree'.
     Add the oil in a thin steady stream while stirring constantly.
     The rouille should be a smooth sauce with the consistency of
     mayonnaise.
    
     the new way,
    
     Use your food processor with the metal blade and do the same thing.
     I found my small bowl processer does the best job but I have made
     it also in a blender with good results. I want to make sure you
     have a VERY SMOOTH puree' before you add any oil.
    
    
     the easy way,
    
     Take 1Cup of prepared mayonnaise mix in 1/2 - 1 tsp of ground
     cayenne pepper, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, and 1/4 tsp of
     ground saffron <I use a packet of spigonol which is a herb mixture
     used for making paella>. Viola you have the rouille 95% of the
     restaurants use on the Cote d'Azur. Again my neighbor taught me
     this little trick. I lived in Vallauris <halfway between Antibes
     and Cannes for 3yrs btw.> and my little old neighbor taught me
     a few tricks of the local cuisine.
    
     To serve the soup make some croutons from a french stick. Then
     place the soup into a bowl and float the croutons with some rouille
     on them and top with alittle grated parmesan cheese. My mouth is
     watering and I can smell this right now!!!! :-)
    
     To make Bouillabaisse take the soup d'poisson and add chucks <or
     again whole cleaned, scaled, but not skinned> mixed fish, mussels,
     shrimp <shell on>, scallops, or even lobster until the fish just
     flakes. Again serve with the croutons and rouille like above.
    
     Bon Appetit,
    
     mike                       
    
       

                     Maryland Crab Soup


    1  small onion chopped
    1  tbsp butter
    1  cup strong chicken broth
    1  qt half & half
    1  tbsp chopped parsley
  1/2  tsp celery salt
  1/2  tsp mace
       Dash red pepper
       Salt & pepper to taste
    1  lb crab meat
       Flour to thicken slightly
  1/4  cup dry Sherry

    Cook onion in butter until transparent. Add chicken
    stock, then slowly add half & half. Add all seasonings
    except sherry.  Stir in crab meat and simmer for 15 min.
    Make a thin paste with 2 tbsp flour and a little water.
    Stir into soup to thicken.  Before serving remove from
    heat and stir in sherry.

                  Chesapeake Bay Crab Soup


    4  servings

    2  tbsp olive oil
    1  medium onion, chopped
    1  carrot, peeled, chopped
    1  16-oz can Italian plum tomatoes
    2  cups canned chicken broth
    1  cup water
    1  cup bottled clam juice
  1/2  cup dry white wine
    1  large potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    2  tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2  tsp Old Bay Seasoning

    1  cup frozen peas
   12  oz fresh lump crabmeat or frozen, thawed, undrained,
       picked over
    2  tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  1/2  tsp hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
       Salt and pepper

1.  Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add
    onion and carrot and cook until vegetables begin to
    soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Add
    tomatoes.  Add chicken broth, water, clam juice, wine,
    potato, Worcestershire sauce and Old Bay Seasoning. 
    Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until
    potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.  (can be prepared
    1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.  Reheat before
    continuing.)

3.  Add peas to soup and simmer 2 minutes. Add crabmeat,
    parsley and hot pepper sauce.. Simmer until crabmeat is
    heated through, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and
    pepper and serve.

                     Georgian Crab Soup


    6  tbsp butter or margarine
2-1/2  cups sliced fresh mushrooms, about 8 oz.
    3  tbsp all-purpose flour
    3  C homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth,
       preferably low sodium
1-1/2  C heavy cream
   12  oz. cooked crabmeat, fresh, canned, or frozen, about
       1-1/2 C.
  3/4  C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  1/4  C good-quality dry sherry, optional
       Salt and pepper, to taste
       Chopped fresh parsley

1.  Melt 3 tbsp butter in 10-in. skillet over medium heat;
    add mushrooms; cook about 5 min., stirring occasionally
    until softened.  Remove from heat; set aside.

2.  Melt remaining 3 tbsp butter in heavy 3-qt saucepan over
    medium heat; stir in flour until blended and smooth.

3.  Pour in chicken stock and cream, stirring constantly;
    cook and stir 8 to 10 min. until mixture thickens and
    just begins to boil.

4.  Add crabmeat and reserved mushrooms; cook and stir     
    2 to 3 min. longer until heated through.

5.  Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan, sherry, salt and
    pepper.  Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

    Makes 8 servings

    I am looking for a boulllabaisse soup recipe.  Any ideas?
    
    Rick
    

    Wrong spelling.  Bouillabaisse
    
    Rick
    

  please see .6 for starters