Fish Soup

We had a great seder with our neighbors of many years.  My only contribution to what has to be one of the most complicated meals around was homemade gefillte fish and horseradish.

The fish and the horseradish were well received by the 15 people at the seder.  The fish was the usual blend of whitefish, pike, and carp.  The red horseradish was hot enough to clear out your sinuses but not hot enough to make you cry.  Both are gone for this season.

But one of the best bi-products of making fish is the broth, which we turned into bouillabaisse tonight.  I love the subtle flavors of saffron and fennel.  But especially I like the rouille, a very garlicky paste served in the bottom of the bowl over toasted French bread with more as an accompaniment to the soup. 

Instead of the usual mix of lobster and mussels and so many other types of shellfish, we had only shrimp and halibut in our bouillabaisse.  But it was otherwise quite authentic and delicious.

Obviously we are not keeping kosher for Passover.  Shrimp and French bread are a double offense.  But even God would have been licking his lips over tonight’s soup.