Halaszle

To prepare a delicious fish soup, we start by preparing the basic ingredients. The first step is to clean the fish scales, an essential stage to achieve a fine texture and pleasant taste. After cleaning the fish, we wash it well under a stream of cold water and cut it into wide strips of about 2 fingers. It is important to lightly salt it and let it cool to absorb the flavors.

In a large pot, we add 5 tablespoons of oil (or lard, according to preference) and sauté the finely chopped onion and peppers. This combination will provide a superb aromatic base for our soup. Once the onion becomes glassy and the peppers release their aroma, we add the peeled and diced tomatoes, followed by a teaspoon of salt. If you want a bit of spiciness, now is the time to add hot pepper, to taste.

Once we have added the tomatoes, we pour about 3.5 liters of water into the pot and bring everything to a boil. At this moment, it is time to introduce a few pieces of fish to add extra flavor to the soup. I prefer to use the tail part, but if you wish, you can also add the fish head, which will enrich the broth even more. We let it simmer on low heat for 2 hours, so the flavors combine perfectly.

After two hours, we strain the entire contents of the pot, keeping only the flavorful broth. The remaining pulp we puree; I use a blender to achieve a fine texture, after which we pass it through a strainer. This step is crucial, as it will help us obtain a clear soup, but full of flavor. We put the puree back into the strained broth and add the rest of the fish, as well as a jar of hot pepper paste and sweet paprika.

Before letting the soup boil, we check the taste and, if necessary, season with salt. We let the soup boil with the pieces of fish for about 15 minutes. It is important not to stir with a spoon, to avoid breaking the fish, but just to gently shake the pot. Thus, we obtain a delicious soup, full of aromas, perfect for a comforting meal. It is served hot, possibly with croutons or freshly chopped parsley, for an extra touch of freshness. Enjoy your meal!