Title: Fisherman's Soup A La Szabolcs
Categories: Hungarian Fish Soup Blank
Yield: 4 Servings

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Info file

Traditionally it's made out of seven kinds of fish, but if you can lay your hands on 4-5 different kinds it's more than enough. I'm speaking about 'normal' fishes (as opposed to sea creatures), such as carp or catfish etc. You should buy approximately half a kilo for each person.

So, what you do is add about 4 deciliters (little less than a pint) of water and an onion for each person you wish to feed. Separate the fishes you've bought into two groups, one being for the smaller specimens and the other for the bigger ones. Clean all of them and remove the head and entrails etc (I have to mention that some like it with the fish's heads in it, but I can't stand the idea of my food staring at me).

Cut up the smaller fishes into pieces (about 2-3 inches) and put them into the water together with the onions. Boil the whole thing until the fishes fall apart. Add as much salt as you feel right. Remove the cauldron from the fire (it's not necesary to prepare it in a cauldron on open fire, but it makes it better), and find something (a filter?) to squeeze the fishes and onions through.

Add some water if you feel that it looks too much like a stew. (The ideal substance is somewhere between a 'normal' soup and the Irish stew) Boil it once again, leave it to cool down, and when the grease comes up to the surface of the soup remove it if you like.

Now add some (grinded) Hungarian red pepper (paprika), approximately 2-3 teaspoonfuls for each person. Boil it once again, but make sure that you've stirred it well, for if the paprika gets burnt, it ruins the whole thing with its bitterness.

Now it's almost ready, all you have to do is wait for your guests to arrive, and then you can put the bigger fishes into the soup (I prefer to slice them up like bread first and rub some salt into them), and boil it for about 8-10 minutes.

It's ready to be served.

You can try to replace paprika with chili pepper, but don't blame me if it blows your head off. :-)

šdv”zlettel: -=Szabolcs Endrefi=- From: Szabolcs Endrefi Date: 16 Mar 98

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