Catch of the Day Soup

It's what's for lunch today.  I have some frozen Tilapia in the freezer and want to use it up.  The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use what ever fish you have.

Catch of the Day Soup

2 lbs. filet fish for soup (I'm using Tilapia but you can use anything you have)

4 garlic cloves

1 onion

1 tsp. dried parsley or 1 tbs. fresh (I'm using dried)

1 tsp. dried thyme 

2 1/2 oz. tomato paste (you may substitute a small can of tomato sauce if you like)

5 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper (to taste)

½ gallon water

  

Crush your garlic and chop your onion finely.  Sauté  the onion in a big pot together with the olive oil. Do this on a very low heat. The onions should become transparent, but not brown.

After 5 minutes, add the crushed garlic (I use the chopped in the jar to save time) and parsley and cook for another 2 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic brown.  It becomes bitter if you do.

Add the tomato paste and mix well; cooking for a couple of minutes.

Add the water and bring to a boil.

Add the fish whole and salt and pepper to taste. Add your thyme.

Simmer on a low heat for about 1 hour.  Stir occasionally. The fish will melt away into the stock.  This is a very light broth.  If you wish it heavier you can add more tomato paste or sauce.

Serve with grilled crusty bread generously rubbed with some fresh garlic and sprinkled with olive oil.

This freezes nicely if you put it in baggies or plastic container.  Reuse in the next month.   It makes a big pot of soup, so you can always cut it in half if you like.  I only had 16 oz. of Tilapia, so I did cut it in half.

Variation - Try replacing the thyme with basil and add a little cream at the end of cooking for a creamy tomato basil fish soup.  You can also replace the fish with shrimp for a shrimp soup.  

Have a great day.  I hope to get outside and play in the dirt a little.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.