Makes 8 to 10 cups
Adding fish stock is the best way to deepen the flavors of any seafood dish you’re cooking. It’s just as easy as vegetable stock to make and less than 45 minutes of cooking time, compared to the hours bone broth needs. Although you can, of course, buy ready-made fish stock at the store, I recommend seeking out fishmongers or grocers who butcher their own whole fish. They’re usually more than happy to sell you their scraps. I’m fortunate to have a friendly neighborhood restaurant nearby that always has fish heads to spare, especially from sea bass, which are particularly flavorful.
wild bonus: Including this broth in your cooking rotation helps infuse the gut with the mineral-rich properties of the sea.
1 large leek
2 pounds fish heads or bones from nonoily white fish such as sea bass, gills removed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
½ bulb fennel, chopped
2 bay leaves
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
15 fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cups dry white wine
Trim the leek of its dark green leaves and roots and cut it into quarters lengthwise. Submerge the pieces in a large bowl of water and agitate to remove any grit. Allow them to sit while you prepare the fish and sautéed vegetables.
Rinse the fish heads, making sure there is no trace of gills or blood. Set aside.
In a large (12-quart) stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and fresh fennel and sauté until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the fish heads, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and wine. Lift the leek pieces out of the water and add to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the solids by at least 3 inches, but no so much that it will boil over. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Allow the stock to cool before straining through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl (discard the solids). Transfer to 1-quart containers and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.