Salmon Head Soup
By: Langdon Cook
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 4:21pm

Ingredients




3 salmon heads, cut  in half
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
3 inches thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, tops discarded, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Thai red peppers, thinly sliced
Chinese cooking wine
2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)
rice vinegar (optional)
aji-mirin (optional)
1 can Szechuan prepared vegetable (optional)
1 can bamboo shoots
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 handful cilantro for garnish, stemmed, with stems reserved
1 package Asian noodles (e.g., udon, soba, ramen)

Preparation

1 Over medium-high heat, brown fish heads and ginger in oil for a few minutes, turning at least once. De-glaze pot with a splash of wine and add chopped leeks, garlic, and half the green onions and red peppers. Saute together for several minutes. 2 De-glaze pot again with another splash of wine, then add 8 cups of water and optional fish sauce. Bring to a light boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. 3 Strain contents, picking and reserving as much salmon meat as possible. Return soup to simmer. Adjust for salt. Add half the remaining green onion and the cilantro stems. (Optional seasoning: Add a tablespoon of each: Chinese wine, rice vinegar, aji-mirin; add a few heaping tablespoons of Szechuan prepared vegetables.) Simmer another 15-30 minutes. 4 Strain soup a second time and return to low heat to keep warm. Dole out reserved salmon meat into bowls, along with noodles, a handful of shredded cabbage, and spoonfuls of both Szechuan prepared vegetables (optional) and bamboo shoots. Ladle soup. Garnish with green onion, cilantro, and Thai red pepper.

About


My kids are big soup eaters. Because we live near Seattle's International District, at a tender age they discovered noodle houses and the "subtle yet profound" pleasures of an Asian noodle soup. These soups are so tasty and cheap that I never really considered trying to make my own before, but I'm a fisherman and prefer to do honor to my catch by eating every last morsel. Salmon heads fit the bill.