Brittany Mixed Fish Soup
Submitted by Junhao
A rustic French fish soup from Brittany with chunky fish, potatoes, and herbs simmered in a fragrant broth. Served over crusty bread with fish and potatoes on the side.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsOn the rocky coast of Brittany, fishermen have been making soups like this for centuries, and there’s a good reason it hasn’t changed much.
It doesn’t need to.
Chunks of fresh fish simmer gently alongside potatoes in an herb-scented broth of thyme, bay leaf, marjoram, and parsley.
The serving is traditional Breton style: ladle the hot, fragrant broth over thick slices of crusty bread in wide soup bowls, then bring the fish and potatoes to the table on a separate platter.
It’s simple, honest, and deeply satisfying in a way that fancy restaurant chowders can only dream about.
Chef Tips
- Use a mix of firm white fish like cod, haddock, or monkfish. The variety gives each bite a different texture and keeps things interesting.
- Cut the fish into equal-sized chunks so everything cooks evenly. Nobody wants half the pot overcooked while the rest is raw.
- Day-old country bread or a sturdy sourdough works best for soaking up the broth without turning to mush instantly.
- Don’t skip the butter sauté for the onions and garlic. That golden, buttery base is the flavor backbone of the entire soup.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut fish into chunks of equal size.
Sauté onions and garlic in heated butter or margarine in a large kettle until tender.
Add potatoes, water, bay leaves, thyme marjoram, parsley, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Add prepared fish and lower heat to moderate.
Cook, covered, about 25 minutes, until fish and potatoes are tender.
Remove and discard bay leaves. Put slices of bread in wide soup plates.
Ladle broth over bread.
Serve fish and potatoes separately on a platter.
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