Soup’s on after some off the hook bottomfishing.
Despite fresh fish’s reputation as a healthy food, I often sully that reputation by frying fish or preparing an artery clogging sauce. I am not complaining or embarking on a health food crusade, mind you, but occasionally I come across a fish recipe that is a healthy one.
At the risk of opening myself up to criticism, I have found that many recipes touted as healthy, are also bland or packed with weird ingredients. A few years back, I came across a fish soup recipe with Asian-inspired overtones that contains no unhealthy ingredients. And to my surprise, it tastes darn good.
There will probably be a couple of items you will have to shop for, but after a little prep work, the soup comes together quickly and easily. The result is actually heartier than one would imagine due to the pasta.
I like to use black sea bass in it, but any mild flavored white flesh fish does the trick. It is a great way to use some of those small pan fish that show up in the fall.
1/2-pound fish fillets 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces) chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water 2 ounces uncooked vermicelli
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 small cucumber
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco 4 ounces cooked and peeled shrimp
dash black pepper 4 ounces torn spinach
Cut the cucumber lengthwise into halves and remove the seeds. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Cut the cooked shrimp and raw fish into half-inch pieces. Heat the chicken broth, water, soy sauce, ginger, and pepper to boiling in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the vermicelli. Heat to boiling and cook uncovered until just tender – about four minutes.
Add the cucumber, fish, shrimp, and mushrooms. Heat to boiling and reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered until fish flakes easily with a fork, about one minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Makes about six servings.
