Fishermen’s Soup

(Soupe des Pecheurs)

This is Chez Magne's version of the pureed fish soup typical in coastal France.

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 12 - 3 lb. cleaned assorted whole (heads-on) small white-fleshed ocean fish such as hake, whiting, and monkfish, cut into large pieces
  • 2 small waxy potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • Salt
  • 13 cup olive oil
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 12-18 slices baguette, toasted
  • 4 oz. gruyère, grated

Instructions

Step 1

Put fish, potatoes, and pepper to taste into a medium pot. Add enough water to cover fish (about 5 cups) and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming foam as it rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 2

Meanwhile, crush garlic and 1 tbsp. salt together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring and crushing constantly with the pestle until a smooth paste forms. Set garlic paste aside.

Step 3

Working in small batches, put soup mixture (heads, bones, and all) into a food processor and pulse 5–7 times or until mixture is coarsely ground. Pass soup through a food mill into a large bowl, pressing as much of the solids through as possible. Finally, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat over medium heat until hot. Whisk garlic paste into soup and adjust seasonings. Whisk egg yolk and vinegar together in a small bowl, whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir egg mixture back into soup. Do not allow soup to boil; it will curdle.

Step 4

To serve, put 3 croutons into each of 4–6 soup bowls, top each crouton with some cheese, then ladle soup into bowls.
  1. Put fish, potatoes, and pepper to taste into a medium pot. Add enough water to cover fish (about 5 cups) and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming foam as it rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, crush garlic and 1 tbsp. salt together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring and crushing constantly with the pestle until a smooth paste forms. Set garlic paste aside.
  3. Working in small batches, put soup mixture (heads, bones, and all) into a food processor and pulse 5–7 times or until mixture is coarsely ground. Pass soup through a food mill into a large bowl, pressing as much of the solids through as possible. Finally, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat over medium heat until hot. Whisk garlic paste into soup and adjust seasonings. Whisk egg yolk and vinegar together in a small bowl, whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir egg mixture back into soup. Do not allow soup to boil; it will curdle.
  4. To serve, put 3 croutons into each of 4–6 soup bowls, top each crouton with some cheese, then ladle soup into bowls.
Recipes

Fishermen’s Soup

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

(Soupe des Pecheurs)

This is Chez Magne's version of the pureed fish soup typical in coastal France.

Ingredients

  • 2 12 - 3 lb. cleaned assorted whole (heads-on) small white-fleshed ocean fish such as hake, whiting, and monkfish, cut into large pieces
  • 2 small waxy potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • Salt
  • 13 cup olive oil
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 12-18 slices baguette, toasted
  • 4 oz. gruyère, grated

Instructions

Step 1

Put fish, potatoes, and pepper to taste into a medium pot. Add enough water to cover fish (about 5 cups) and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming foam as it rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 2

Meanwhile, crush garlic and 1 tbsp. salt together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring and crushing constantly with the pestle until a smooth paste forms. Set garlic paste aside.

Step 3

Working in small batches, put soup mixture (heads, bones, and all) into a food processor and pulse 5–7 times or until mixture is coarsely ground. Pass soup through a food mill into a large bowl, pressing as much of the solids through as possible. Finally, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat over medium heat until hot. Whisk garlic paste into soup and adjust seasonings. Whisk egg yolk and vinegar together in a small bowl, whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir egg mixture back into soup. Do not allow soup to boil; it will curdle.

Step 4

To serve, put 3 croutons into each of 4–6 soup bowls, top each crouton with some cheese, then ladle soup into bowls.
  1. Put fish, potatoes, and pepper to taste into a medium pot. Add enough water to cover fish (about 5 cups) and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming foam as it rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, crush garlic and 1 tbsp. salt together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring and crushing constantly with the pestle until a smooth paste forms. Set garlic paste aside.
  3. Working in small batches, put soup mixture (heads, bones, and all) into a food processor and pulse 5–7 times or until mixture is coarsely ground. Pass soup through a food mill into a large bowl, pressing as much of the solids through as possible. Finally, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat over medium heat until hot. Whisk garlic paste into soup and adjust seasonings. Whisk egg yolk and vinegar together in a small bowl, whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir egg mixture back into soup. Do not allow soup to boil; it will curdle.
  4. To serve, put 3 croutons into each of 4–6 soup bowls, top each crouton with some cheese, then ladle soup into bowls.

Continue to Next Story

Want more SAVEUR?

Get our favorite recipes, stories, and more delivered to your inbox.