Name: Classic Fish Gelée
Ingredients: fish trimmings; fresh lean fish; fresh fish stock; egg whites; lean white fish; onion

Classic Fish Gelée

Preparation info

Published 1991

very fresh lean fish or fish trimmings (no skin)	3 lb	1.5 kg
onion, 1 medium, chopped	8 oz	250 g
fresh fish stock, cold	5 qt	5 L
medium bouquet garni	1	1
lean white fish, finely chopped (optional)	8 oz	250 g
egg whites (optional)	2	2

Make sure the gills, skin, and all traces of blood have been removed from the fish. Combine the fish with the onion in a 10-quart (10 liter) stockpot. Cover with the cold fish stock. Add the bouquet garni.
Slowly bring the mixture to a very slow simmer. Skim off any froth that floats to the surface.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine chinois.
The stock can now either be strained through a napkin or cheesecloth, allowed to settle, and the top half carefully drawn off with a ladle, or it can be clarified with the fish and egg whites.
To clarify the stock, allow the strained stock to cool slightly; it can be tepid but should not be boiling hot.
Combine the chopped fish and egg whites in an 8- to 10-quart (8 to 10 liter) stockpot, and cover with the strained fish stock. Bring the mixture slowly to a simmer. When it has reached a simmer, gently scrape against the bottom of the pot with a long spoon to make sure the fish–egg white mixture has not formed a clump and stuck to the bottom, where it might burn. Allow the mixture to simmer for 30 minutes.
When the stock is clear, carefully ladle it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. (Be sure to rinse the cheesecloth in cold water first to eliminate any chemical taste.)