09.11.2017

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4-6

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa.

Categories : appetizers & savoury snacks, fish & seafood, main dishes, potatoes & vegetables, Recipes, soups & salads

A hearty but delicate version of Greek fish soup with fresh cod, vegetables such as potato, leek, carrot and celery, and the wonderful citrusy aromas of freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice.

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: A closer top view of one of the bowls of soup with all the veggies and fish in the centre. Two squeezed pieces of orange lie towards the bottom of the picture.

I’ve been meaning to try and make fish soup for a while now. I really love ordering it when I see it on restaurant menus, so when the opportunity arose for me to make one for a client, I grabbed it.

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: Top view of a large soup serving bowl with a ladle in it. Pieces of vegetables and fish are protruding from within the soup. To the top a small plate of anchovies and a chopping board with pieces of orange on it. To the bottom left two pieces of orange that have been squeezed.

Most Greeks make a classic version, with fish (usually whole) and veggies. I wanted to give it a little something different (as usual) and I also wanted to make the procedure as simple as possible. The thing about fish soup is that really, a whole fish is much better for making tasty stock. But, this creates issues with bones getting in the soup, and is generally a bit of a nuisance.

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: A close side view of a bowl of soup and the pieces of fish and veggies which are protruding from within. Some black pepper is sprinkled on top. In the background the other bowl and some pieces of lemon and orange.

So I thought of something else. I used small fish which we call “boiling fish” here in Greece, in order to make a quick stock in the beginning. These aren’t for eating; I boiled them into oblivion and then discarded them as they had given all they had to give. Then I added fillets of large cod and after they were done I took them out in order to boil the veggies. I returned the cod to the saucepan at the end after I picked out the bones. This is actually quite a straightforward procedure, as cod fillets are super easy to clean. If you can’t find “boiling fish” you can just omit them, and use slightly less water for the soup. Or you could use homemade or good quality store bought fish stock instead.

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: Three bowls of the soup all layed out on a wooden surface. One of them is sitting on a wooden chopping board next to some pieces of orange and lemon. A small plate of anchovies sits to the right.

Other tweaks to the classic Greek version are the addition of orange juice (it’s delicious) and just a touch of spice with some paprika and powdered coriander. To serve you can add some tabasco to make it a little spicier, or more juice – either orange or lemon (or both) depending on your tastebuds.

Fish soup is the perfect autumn or winter meal. Hearty, wholesome, and very tasty. Just right for cold evenings. Not that our evenings are particularly cold yet… We’re still waiting!

Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: A close side view of the serving bowl with the ladle inside. The soup is thick and creamy, and there are pieces of fish visible on the surface.

#10 Orange and Lemon Fish Soup with Cod. My version of Greek Psarosoupa. www.thefoodiecorner.gr Photo description: One bowl of soup in the centre of the photo. To the top right (half visible) is the serving bowl. The the top left is the olive oil canister and to the left a brown piece of muslin fabric. To the left the small plate of anchovies.

Ingredients

1800ml water

1 + 1 ½ tsp salt

300gr fish for stock (little fish you throw away after cooking)

800gr North Sea cod slices, preferably sustainable

500gr potatoes, peeled and diced

200gr carrots, sliced

200gr leeks, sliced

150gr celery stalks, sliced

4 anchovy fillets, mashed

60ml olive oil

120ml orange juice, freshly squeezed (plus more to serve)

60ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed (plus more to serve)

1 bay leaf

1 ½ tsp paprika, sweet

1 tsp coriander, powdered

½ tsp black pepper (or use lemon pepper instead it works brilliantly)

a few drops of tabasco (to serve, optional)

Step 1

Put the water on to boil. When it boils add the 1 tsp salt and the small fish. Cover the pan and let them cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add the cod fillets to the pan, laying them on top of the other fish. Continue to boil for another 10 minutes on medium (you might have to increase the heat to begin with, to bring it back to the boil).

Step 3

Take the cod out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain the stock through a fine mesh sieve and throw away the small fish. Return the stock to the pan running it through the sieve again to make sure no bones got through.

Step 4

Put the stock back on the heat and add the potatoes, carrots, leeks and celery. Bring to the boil. Add the anchovy paste, olive oil, orange and lemon juice, bay leaf, paprika, coriander, pepper and the rest of the salt. Let the soup cook for about 30-45 minutes or until the veggies are as soft as you like them.

Step 5

While the soup is cooking, pick the bones out of the cod, keeping the pieces as large as possible.

Step 6

When the soup is ready pulse a couple of times with a stick blender so that it thickens a little. Add the cod, turn the heat off, and let it sit for a few minutes so the fish can heat through.

Step 7

Serve with some drops of tabasco if desired, plus some extra orange or lemon juice. Best enjoyed with some fresh crusty bread!

Note

The Greek version of this post is sponsored. All opinions are my own.

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