with a stock made from scraps and small bony
fish to provide gelatin and flavor, tomatoes
and aromatics for flavor and color, and a large
dollop of olive oil — perhaps a third of a
cup/75 ml per quart/liter of liquid — which a
fierce 10-minute boil emulsifies into fine
droplets throughout the soup. The dissolved
fish gelatin and suspended proteins coat the
oil droplets and slow their coalescence (p.
628). The other pieces of fish are added last
and simmered to cook through, and the soup is
served immediately, before the oil has a
chance to separate.
Steaming Steaming is a rapid way to cook
fish and is especially appropriate for thin
fillets, which can cook through quickly (thick
pieces would overcook on the surface while
their interior cooks through). Subtle aromas
are contributed by herbs and spices,
vegetables, and even seaweed, if they’re
included in the steaming water or provide a