Bouillabaisse

Made an attempt to make Bouillabaisse on Christmas Eve.
Bought the fish stock from Burhops in Hinsdale. Their stock was terrible. Wasted money on good fish. Meal was a disappointment.
Any suggestions on making good fish stock from someone who has done it? Can read cookbooks. Nothing there looks good.
Since our bad experience a "Bud", A Korean MD, told me to get the necessary stock ingredients at the Korean grocery store, JO BOOH, Belmont and the Kennedy.
Any thoughts or success with making good stock.
THX
Wally Wade

I make fish stock when I make gefilte fish. It's pretty simple. Get fish bones. Add water, onion, carrot, and celery. Simmer. I just ask for bones/carcasses for stock at Dirk's. Since I always get this when I get ground fish for gefilte fish, I think they just throw in the carp/whitefish/walleye carcasses they used to make my ground fish order - plus another head or backbone or two. Fish mongers have tons of bones and I'm sure they would be happy to provide you what you need for little or no cost.

Recently, I've been making it in the pressure cooker, but I don't think it comes out any different than when I do it on the stove (it just cooks faster).

If I were in your shoes, I could see how this reply might not be super helpful since I didn't really offer any tips or a specific recipe. I guess this is to say that I don't think you necessarily need suggestions or cookbooks. Just try it and tweak it to your taste.

That being said, most recipes I see sub clam juice for all (or a portion) of fish stock in recipes so that's another route you could go.

this is not an instant solution, but as a lover of bouillabaisse, my game plan is always to make stock from shrimp shells. i collect shrimp shells (from shrimp we cook at home) in the freezer over a few months (or more) and when it's time to make stock i sautéed the shells in butter, then add a little white wine, water, carrot, onion, celery, salt, pepper and simmer. it makes a much more delicate stock than clam juice.

walter wade wrote:Any suggestions on making good fish stock from someone who has done it? Can read cookbooks. Nothing there looks good.
THX
Wally Wade

Why do cookbooks look not good? As gastro gnome said, Take fish bones, heads, tails, shrimp shells or anything else you would normally through away and simmer with onion, carrot and celery. No need to simmer longer than 20-30 minutes. I'm sure that is what most of your cookbooks also say.

Thanks to all

Wally Wade

For stock, you do not want an oily fish nor shrimp shells.
You want preferably bones from a flatfish and/or sea bass minus the gills, fins and skin.
A fair substitute is the dried granulated fish product sold in Japanese stores for Miso and other types of soup. Dried bonito flakes are for Miso but I suppose could be used?
To make a fume, simply poach the bones starting in cold water with vegetables such as onions, carrot and celery and anise and afew whole white pepper corns, skimming the foam.
In a pinch substitute unsalted msg free chicken stock.
A good olive oil makes a-nice emulsion aka ‘Floyd On Fish’.
If you can find a copy, probably the best recipe/technique/tutorial!
-Richard

I find bonito flakes have a strong almost smoky smell. It gets somewhat muted when you make dashi, but I'm not sure it's something I'd want in all fish stocks (depending on your eventual application).

gastro gnome wrote:I find bonito flakes have a strong almost smoky smell. It gets somewhat muted when you make dashi, but I'm not sure it's something I'd want in all fish stocks (depending on your eventual application).

Yes, bonito definitely carries a smoky note.

The dashi granules are known as handashi, and available at Mitsuwa Marketplace or Amazon but considering they also contain a kombu component, they may not be a great choice for bouillabaisse.

=R=

Thanks. A Korean friend, suggested I go to Joong Boo.
Belmont and the Kennedy for their granulated fish that he uses for bouillabaisse.
Also tracking down Floyd of Fish.

Wally Wade

walter wade wrote:Thanks. A Korean friend, suggested I go to Joong Boo.
Belmont and the Kennedy for their granulated fish that he uses for bouillabaisse.
Also tracking down Floyd of Fish.

Wally Wade

They now have a north suburban location:

Joong Boo Market
670 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview, IL 60025

They have a food court upstairs, too.

thx

wally wade

This is the Korean ‘Seafood Spice Mix’ I currently use.
I don’t know if I got it at Mitsuwa or H Mart?
It does contain Sea Tangle, a kelp but is very different than the generic HonDashi.
There are many types of Japanese HonDashi that contain various primary ingredients such as Anchovy instead of Bonito, many come in little stick packages and are quite useful.
It pays to experiment and when I see a new variety, I try it.
This primary one I currently use for fish stock works quite well for a fish based Pho also.
The other problem with many of these products is that they may not be available the next time you want to purchase.-Richard

I just use a bunch of fishheads. I go to a market that sells a lot of carp, buffalo fish, and other freshwater local fish, and buy the heads. After pulling the gills, I add some carrots, onions, and celery and simmer the fishheads for half an hour. At one point long ago I read (? probably in Julia?) that fish parts shouldn't be simmered for longer than half an hour. Dunno why, but I follow that rule.

Makes a perfectly acceptable broth.

Geo