At the word "ear", the imagination instantly draws a picturesque bank of a river flowing through the forest, intoxicating air from an excess of oxygen, full pleasure from the singing of birds, the sounds of water and a smartphone that has been silent for a long time … On the shore in front of the tents, a fire is burning on which something is being cooked in a pot incredibly tasty from recently caught fish. How to cook something like this at home in a city apartment?
The word "ear" does not have an absolutely precise definition. Once upon a time, in ancient times, any soup or broth was called soup, but over time this name was stuck only for a fish dish. There is no recipe that strictly defines the cooking process for this dish, just as there is no general opinion about which types of fish should be used in this recipe. That is why there are various types of fish soup, including amber.
This variety got the name "amber" or "red" due to the fact that it is prepared exclusively from red fish: salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, trout, sockeye and even sturgeon, sterlet or stellate sturgeon. Surprising as it may seem, the last three species, despite the white meat, are also called red fish, although there is nothing surprising here: in Russia, the word “red”, “red” was used to name all the most valuable and beautiful.
In this recipe, you can use not only salmon, but also any other fish that fits the above definition.
You will need:
- wild salmon weighing about 800 grams;
- one medium-sized carrot;
- one onion;
- three medium potatoes;
- salt (to taste);
- black and / or allspice pepper (to taste);
- half a teaspoon of smoked paprika;
- Bay leaf;
- fresh herbs (dill, thyme, rosemary)
Preparation
Step 1. Wash the fish, gut, remove the fins, head and tail fin. If you cook an ear with a tail and / or head, then you can leave them, but this is not for everybody. Peel the carcass from the scales, rinse again, drain and cut into portions. Season with salt and pepper, cover with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour so that the fish is salted.
Step 2. Wash and peel potatoes, cut into cubes, cover with water.
Step 3. Wash and peel the carrots, cut them into small feathers or semicircles.
Step 4. Peel the onion and chop (if you prefer). Put in a saucepan (about 2.5 liters in volume), add carrots, a teaspoon of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of butter, stir, put on low heat and bring the vegetables almost to readiness. Don't overcook! The onions should turn golden, not burnt. At the very end, you can add half a teaspoon of tomato paste and heat slightly, but this is not necessary. While the vegetables are cooking, bring about 2 liters of water to a boil.
Step 5. Put the potatoes in a saucepan, stir, put the fish on top, add bay leaves, black pepper, pour in boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes.
Step 6. Wash, dry and chop the herbs.
Step 7. Put smoked paprika into a saucepan with fish soup, this will give the taste of fire smoke, and chopped greens. Cook for a couple more minutes, remove and let it brew for 15-20 minutes.
Serve the fish soup traditionally with black bread or pies.
In this recipe, you can additionally use various seafood - mussels, shrimps and others. These foods need to be properly processed and cooked along with the fish.
