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Our focus today is on collagen, which in its edible form is known as gelatin. Collagen is found in the bones and cartilage of animals. It’s in the carcasses (including the skeleton and the heads) of fish. In today’s video, I show how to make a fish stock—also known as a fish bone broth—that is loaded with gelatin. When a stock has a lot of gelatin in it, it wobbles when chilled. Then I demonstrate a couple of speedy dishes in which the stock plays an important role.
Collagen is what gives bones their strength and flexibility, joints their cushioning and resilience, nails and hair their strength, and skin its plumpness. Collagen helps keep arteries strong and supple, thereby supporting heart health; it heals the gut, thereby supporting digestion and nutrient absorption; and by nourishing a healthy cornea, it reinforces good vision. In short, with rich dissolves of collagen and marrow, bone broth provides the body what it needs to rebuild and rejuvenate itself and to prevent disease. There are other nutritious components in broth, but our focus today is on the collagen.
The entire skeleton of a fish contains gelatin, but it is most concentrated in the head, so make sure not to exclude the fish heads. Gently simmering the stock helps release the gelatin into the water. Fish stock in which the heads of fish are used is also especially nourishing for the thyroid because the fish’s thyroid gland (situated in the head) supplies the stock with the thyroid hormone, which, along with the gelatin, helps the metabolism to run efficiently.
The first dish shown in the video is the fish stock itself. To make it, start with an onion, a couple of carrots, and a couple celery stalks that are roughly chopped and sweated in a couple tablespoons of butter. Lay 4 pounds of fish carcasses over the vegetables to cook. In the video I use striped bass carcasses, but any mild-tasting white-fleshed fish is good. Avoid using oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, in your stock. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the skeletons while they sweat for a few minutes. Add half a bottle of white wine (2 cups or so), and raise the heat to a boil to let the liquid reduce by half. The acid from the lemon and wine will help draw minerals out of the bones into the broth. Next, pour 4 quarts water into the pot. Let the liquid come to the boil, then use a skimmer to skim the froth that comes to the surface. Add a handful of parsley stems, lower the flame to gentle heat—just enough to produce slight movement—and cook for one hour. One hour is sufficient for the gelatin in the bones to be released. Strain the stock, divide into containers, and let cool before refrigerating or freezing.
The next dish shown in the video is a simple braise. Sweat a thinly sliced fennel bulb in a couple of tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, then add a handful of green beans, and cook for just a minute. Next add to the pot a couple of diced fresh tomatoes plus a cup or so of halved cherry tomatoes. Combine different colored tomatoes to make the dish vibrant and festive. Cook the tomatoes a few minutes, until they have released their juices, then add 1 cup fish stock, and layer the fish filets (sprinkled with salt and pepper) over the tomato mixture. I used thin filets for the video, but thick filets are good as well. Cover the fish to cook; the thick filets will take a few extra minutes more cooking time than the thinner ones. When the fish is opaque—after about 5 minutes—sprinkle the top with a gremolata, a mix of lemon zest, minced garlic, and parsley. Spoon the dish into shallow bowls to eat, and make sure to consume the flavorful tomato-laced broth.
The final dish is a speedy Thai fish soup. Start with 6 cups stock and 1 can coconut milk. Next add 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1/2 to 1 minced hot pepper (in the video I use a red jalapeño, which makes sparkling red flecks), 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (made from fermented anchovies), a couple tablespoons lime juice, and a pound of fish. I used flounder in the video, but I’ve made this soup with all kinds of fish, including salmon, shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Let the stew simmer for 5 minutes to cook the fish, then stir in 1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste, and sprinkle with cilantro. Add a pinch of salt as well. Make this dish into a heartier one-pot meal by the addition of rice noodles, diced vegetables, and chopped greens.
Store your stocks in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for months. Besides being so nourishing, bone stocks add layers of delicious flavor to your dishes. The great chef Escoffier wrote extensively about stock and said, “without it, nothing can be done. If one’s stock is good, what remains of the work is easy.” I couldn’t agree more.