Wined Fish Chunks in Broth

This Chinese fish soup is all about restraint and clean flavors. Mackerel chunks marinate for six hours in salt and dry white wine, which firms the flesh and removes any fishiness before the fish ever touches the broth. The result is delicate, wine-seasoned fish that holds its shape perfectly during a brief poach.

The broth is minimal on purpose: chicken stock, fresh ginger, salt, and cubed firm tofu simmered gently for 10 minutes. Napa cabbage and the marinated fish go in only when the broth hits a rolling boil, and they cook in just 3 to 5 minutes. You’ll know the cabbage is done when the leaves turn a vivid lime green.

The finishing touch is a drizzle of oil that’s been heated to the smoking point and cooled. This “cooked oil” has a nutty, clean flavor and adds a silky richness to the surface of the soup.

Chef Tips

• Turn the fish in the marinade after two hours so all sides get equal contact with the salt and wine.
• Rinse and drain the fish before adding to the broth. The marinade has done its work and leaving it on makes the soup overly salty.
• Don’t overcook the fish. Mackerel goes from tender to dry in seconds. Three to five minutes at a boil is plenty.
• Heat the oil to smoking, then let it cool before drizzling. This removes the raw oil taste that cold oil would add to the finished soup.

Variations

• Use sea bass or cod instead of mackerel for a milder-flavored soup.
• Add rice noodles to the bowl before ladling in the broth for a more substantial one-bowl meal.
• Stir in a splash of rice vinegar at the table for extra brightness.