Basic Fish Stock

Note:  If I have no fish stock, I use dry white wine with a little water. 

Making fish stock is simple. Avoid oily fish. For example Salmon is an oily fish. You can also use fish heads, and any parts of fish that you have available or in your freezer. 

Ingredients

 3 T. olive oil

 3 lb. fish spines, fins and heads

 1/2 of a large parsnip root, sliced into rounds

 1 leek, thinly sliced

 2 stalks celery, sliced

 1 carrot, sliced into rounds

 trimmings from a fennel bulb

 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

 1/2 bunch parsley

 A 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

 2 bay leaves

 1 garlic clove, crushed

 1 sprig of fresh thyme or 1 t. dried

 1 cup dry white wine

 Cold water

 Salt

1. Wash bones and heads well under cold water. If the gills are still attached, remove them. They give a bitter flavor.

2. Heat a large pan for 2 minutes on high heat, then add the oil.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the fish bones. Don't let them brown, only get a little color. Cook and stir, for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. In a tall stockpot, add the wine and reduce it by half under high heat. Once this is done, add the fish bones and turn off the heat for now.

4. In the pan you heated the fish bones in, add the vegetables and cook until the leeks are translucent. Stir from time to time. When they are cooked but not much browned, add them to the stockpot. Add the herbs to the stockpot, stir everything to combine, and add enough cold water to cover it all by an inch. Bring the stock up to a simmer. But absolutely do not let it boil because it turns the stock cloudy. Look for a shimmer on the surface. Simmer for approx 40 minutes, skimming.

5. After 40 minutes, strain the stock through a mesh strainer with cheesecloth inside. Clean the stockpot and then return the stock to the now-clean pot. Salt to taste.

Freeze in appropriate containers.