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Mediterranean Fish Soup – a delicious & easy to prepare fish soup LOADED with flavor. White wine, seafood stock, paprika & Aleppo pepper take this soup over the top. Delicious ♥
Soup Inspiration
How often do you feel uninspired when it’s time to cook?
Perhaps uninspired isn’t the right word – maybe unprepared. Often I’m tired, busy and have made no plans for dinner until it’s time to cook. It becomes a game of creation. What’s in the pantry, what’s in the fridge, what’s in the freezer and when does it need to be ready by.
These dinners can go two ways – brilliantly or blah.
This one was brilliant. It starts how most soups should – butter, celery, onions & garlic. With a little know how, you can go a million directions with this foundation. I chose fish.
About Aleppo Pepper
We’ll talk about one ingredient that some people might not be familiar with – Aleppo pepper. Grown in Syria & Turkey, hence the name Aleppo.
I’m in absolute love with it. The smell of it is intoxicating. The aroma reminds me of the best Hungarian paprika I’ve ever smelled with an alluring whiff of heat.
The flavor – it’s a pepper all of it’s own. A mild, but zesty, almost fruity but smoky heat. It fondly takes me back to the best peppery syrah I’ve ever tasted.
I would love to dump it all over everything I eat as one could with a crushed red pepper, but at times Aleppo pepper might not be the easiest spice to get ahold of.
Ongoing conflict in the region it’s grown has made it difficult to grow and export at times. Most of what we get our hands on is coming from Turkey, which is said to be the same plant, but Turkey supply does not always meet demand.
Prices have become higher and now there is an abundance of counterfeit Aleppo pepper sold. Counterfeit spices – it’s almost humorous – but not. So buy your spices from a trusted supplier 🙂 Click this link for info on where I get mine – amazing quality – at The Spice House!
Ingredients, Substitutions & Preparation
I hear you though. You’re saying “I want some Mediterranean Fish Soup and I don’t have any of your magic pepper”. First, buy some and have it for next time. Then go ahead and mix up equal parts of crushed red chili flakes and a good Hungarian paprika. It’ll get you through 🙂
I used flounder for this soup, simply because it’s what I had. Use whatever fish you have on hand and/or prefer.
As for preparation, I just tossed the fillets in the pot, broke them up a little and let it simmer away. Add a generous pinch of Aleppo pepper – if you like things hotter than go ahead an heat it up with as much pepper as you need 🙂
I’m not even in the know to determine if this should be considered a soup or a stew. We’ll lean towards a soup, but I’ll call it both to keep everyone happy.
Cold weather is calling and this Mediterranean Fish Soup is answering. Warm, comforting, loaded with flavor – it’ll make these cold Fall nights all the more cozier.
Thanks for reading!
Amanda ♥
For more fish & seafood soups – check out my Fisherman’s Sardine Stew or Smoked Trout Chowder
Mediterranean Fish Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 15 oz. can seafood stock/broth about 2 cups
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup clam juice about 4 ounces/half a bottle
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon aleppo pepper see notes
- 12 oz -16 oz flounder or fish of your liking
- 1 15 oz can corn undrained
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a stockpot, over medium to medium high heat, saute celery & onions in butter until onions are translucent and celery is tender.
- Add garlic, saute for a minute.
- Add wine, stirring, scraping bottom of pot.
- Add seafood stock, chicken broth, clam juice, parsley, smoked paprika, paprika & aleppo pepper. Bring to a light boil.
- Add fish fillets. Stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally (while gently breaking up fish fillets) for about 30 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream.
- Salt & pepper to taste.
- Serve & enjoy.
Notes
I have never tried aleppo pepper. I need to rectify that. This recipe sounds amazing.
This soups looks really good! I know I would enjoy it a lot with the peppers and the fish is a great idea.
This is really good, couldn’t find fish stock, Aleppo pepper or clam juice in our market. So I substituted vegetable broth, jalapeño pepper and Clamato juice respectively. Also only use smoked paprika and some Old Bay seasoning. Also threw some sliced carrots in too. We loved it will make this one again, thanks!