Holiday Fish Soup

Makes 6 servings

This substantial fish soup turns toward Asia for its inspiration, fragrance and flavor. The broth gets its vivacity from a usual aromatic trio of scallions, shallot and garlic, and a less usual one of lemongrass, ginger and yuzu kosho. It gets its depth from the mix of fish that’s poached in it. I like to use mussels — nothing gives you a more flavorful base for fish; cod (or another firm-fleshed white fish, such as halibut or monkfish); and shrimp. The soup becomes even more beautiful once you add mushrooms, scallions, sweet potatoes and a scattering of cilantro leaves or seaweed flakes.

The dish takes its name from the fact that I often make it for our lots-of-people-around-the-table holiday dinners in Paris. It’s perfect for a celebration — it’s elegant, good-looking, delicious and very easy to make, even for a crowd (the recipe multiplies easily). Make the broth in advance and have the fish and vegetables ready to go, and when it’s time, you’ll have just a few minutes of kitchen work ahead of you.

• For the broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced paper-thin
• 3 garlic cloves, germ removed (see sidebar)
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner bulb only, very thinly sliced
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 sliver of chile pepper
• A thin strip of lime zest
• Fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon red yuzu kosho
• ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine or dry vermouth
• 5 cups (1¼ liters) chicken, fish or vegetable broth
• Pinch of sugar
• For the fish and vegetables
• 24 mussels, scrubbed and debearded if necessary
• 1½ pounds (680 grams) skinless cod fillet or other firm-fleshed white fish fillet (see headnote), cut into 6 portions
• 24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 large head-on shrimp, unpeeled (optional)
• 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 3 pieces each
• 2 large white or brown mushrooms, such as cremini, wiped clean, trimmed and thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline)
• 1 shallot, very thinly sliced, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ sweet potato (cut crosswise), peeled, cut lengthwise in half and thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline)
• A handful of baby spinach
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• For serving
• 1 lime, halved
• Chopped fresh cilantro and/or dried seaweed flakes or furikake

Working Ahead

You can make the broth ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 1 month.

To make the broth: Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, ginger, chile and lime zest, stirring to coat the ingredients with oil. Season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is softened and fragrant. Add the yuzu kosho and cook, stirring and mashing, until the paste is evenly mixed into the aromatics. Pour in the wine, raise the heat and cook, stirring, until it just about evaporates, a minute or two. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.

Taste the broth for salt and add the sugar. Strain into a bowl or pitcher and discard the solids; return the broth to the pot. (You can make the broth up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 1 month.)

To make the fish and vegetables: Bring the broth to a light boil, lower the heat so that it simmers and drop in the mussels. Cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes or so more, until the shrimp are pink, the fish is cooked through and the mussels have opened (discard any that don’t). Remove the pot from the burner.

Divide the fish and vegetables among six shallow soup plates and ladle over the broth — there will be more fish than broth in each bowl. Give each portion a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of cilantro and/or seaweed or furikake. Serve immediately.