What a pleasure it was to be a visiting chef for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Kid Fish cooking demonstrations at their Nature Center located in Tyler, TX.  Sometimes we really underestimate what our kids can learn and do even when surrounded by other often more squeamish kids and adults.  It was a thrill to watch young kids learning to wield sharp knives and clean their catch of rainbow trout and even a few catfish under the watchful eyes of TP&W biologists.  Thankfully, the children often proudly presented fish from their catch for cooking demonstrations even allowing total strangers to have a taste of their wonderful fish only minutes out of the water.  Folks, it just does not get better than that.   Many of the kids learned to fillet a cooked fish on–the-plate leaving the bones intact.  The kids had a choice of how they wanted their fish cooked ( grilled, pan fried, or stewed ) onsite, had numerous chances to function as soux-chefs and, of course, learn what they wanted to learn about the entire process from lake to belly.  Most came to learn about and experience fishing to the fullest extent possible.  Kids can be so intense and when that intensity is applied to learning, watch out.  We had so many questions that day but this blog is a response to the numerous requests I have had for the “Fish Soup” recipe.
I ask your forgiveness while I digress: but, this pot of soup has a history and as cooking is as much about technique as it is about balanced tastes and quality ingredients.  I choose to first share that history with you.  I came to live in Texas as soon as I could (as the saying goes) but grew up in New Orleans.  The food there is like none other and I believe that even neighborhood restaurants in that once great city could compete successfully on a world stage in any culinary competition.  My interest in cooking stems from the myriad of restaurant experiences I had growing up there.  That being said….
Fishing near the Lake Livingston Dam, I spotted something I had never seen before.  A family, I later learned from Mexico, was steadily catching fish, mostly sunfish, and mom or dad would scale and gut the fish and then drop them into a fairly large pot. Within minutes the contents of the pot were being dished up.  Always on the lookout for tasty treats, I went over to introduce myself and to my good fortune the kids spoke English.  What a taste treat that soup was.  It was a full body experience with a bit of nip in the cool morning air contrasted against the warmth of the bowl while other senses were indulging in the sweet smell and taste of that bluegill “stew.”  I had indeed been fed by total strangers both my body and my soul.  Eating that fish that had been carefully lowered in a bowl filled with clear broth potatoes and carrots was a delight.  A delight I would soon be sharing with others.  Garnishing that delight with a sprinkle of cilantro, the experience was complete.  Having more than a passing knowledge of the complexities of creating a bouabase, I though how great this simple “stew” stood up to its ever so formal French cousin.  Being from Louisiana I had only two choices – replicate or Cajunize.   I do both but the requested recipe was the latter.

This creation is still looking for a name but for the moment it will be…

Cajunized Mexican Fish Soup
or
The Give a Little Get a Lot Fish Stew
or maybe
Fishfinigan Stew (Suggestions are welcome)

Makes 4 gallons
Ingredients:
6-10 large onions, rough chop
5 lbs organic mini-carrots
12 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, rough cut
3 heart of celery bunches, rough chop
¼ cup Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning Salt
¼ cup Season All
3 lbs monkfish
1 cup of olive oil – the frying kind not the extra virgin. (I like Bertolli Extra Light)

Equipment :
5 gallon pot w/ cover
Heat source capable of bringing to a boil the contents of the pot
Long handled spoon
Slotted spoon
Ladle

With heat on high add olive oil to pot then the onions. Stir very often until translucent.  Add celery stirring often and cook until the water exuded by the celery is evaporated and the celery onion mixture is sizzling again.  Add spices carrots and potatoes.  Add enough water to barely cover the medley.  Bring to a boil.  Rough chop the monkfish reduce heat to a simmer and add  and stir in the monkfish.  Immediately add enough water to cover the veggies with about two inches headroom.  You should have added about 1 ½ gallons of water by now and have about 4 gallons of soup/stew.   Simmer, I said simmer, until the potatoes are barely done.  Salt to taste.

Now comes the fun part.  Invite those fishing to contribute to and take from the pot using only whole cleaned fish.  Cut fish and even beheaded fish will leave your guests with boney soup, a quite unhappy thoughtless meal.  Lower the offered specimen into the broth and push it down far enough to be entirely covered with the simmering liquid.  The fish must cook until done.  5 to 7 minutes usually makes a flaky fish when fish like bluegill are involved and they make the sweetest soup.  Cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of the fish and the ability of the skin to hold the fish together.   You may continue to add fish and serve from the pot for hours but you must follow this rule. Nothing is to be dipped out unless everything in the pot is done.  Example; four guests walk up to be served.  Two have fish and want to eat their own fish (kids are like that) and two have no fish to contribute.  Assuming the pot is ready; serve the two guests that have no fish first and then add the fish from the contributors.  The contributors will have to wait to be served along with any other guests that walk up.  A contributor has the comforting knowledge that though she takes from the pot she leaves it even better for the next guest.   Keep the rule in mind even if you have fish in the pot that must be removed because they are in danger of falling apart.  Believe me; you do not want a bone problem but remove fish only when everything in the pot is done.  A serving is done by handing a guest a bowl of soup (slotted spoon to assure adequate vegetables and a ladle for the broth) along with a fish on a plate.  Whenever possible serve the most cooked fish first; again, you do not want the fish to fall apart.  Challenge yourself or young kids to eat the fish while leaving a complete skeleton in place.  This is easier than you might think and the technique, once mastered, will serve a child for a lifetime.  Hope you enjoy this recipe.  Infinite variations are possible and variations should be explored, especially if you want to make this recipe your own.