When fish broth is one of the ingredients in a sauce recipe and you cooked the fish you
are going to use with it in a liquid, then that liquid becomes the broth you will usually use
in making the sauce. If your fish was not cooked in a liquid, if the liquid wasn’t suitable for
your sauce or if you want to complete the sauce by the time the fish is cooked, this is a
good recipe to follow. You can add to or change the ingredients in this basic recipe to suit
your taste. Add more wine, or use none at all. Add more spices, or use none at all. You can
even strengthen it if you like with a little chicken or veal broth.

Ingredients
• 1-2 pounds of fish trimmings (carcass, including head and tail) or whole dressed fish,
head and tail left on.
• 4-6 cups of water
• ½ cup white wine or 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1-2 carrots, sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 large stalk of celery, chopped
• Mushroom stems and peelings (optional)
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1-2 sprigs of parsley (add last 5 minutes only for delicate flavor)
• 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme to taste
• 2-4 peppercorns
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste (go easy on these seasonings until after broth is reduced).

Preparation
Simmer, covered, for at least 2 hour. taste. adjust seasonings and strain.
Note: For a slightly stronger, different flavor, leave skin on carrot. For a delicate flavor, use a
delicately flavored fish: removing the skin also results in a less strong flavor.

Fish Fumet
Boil broth down to ½ - ¼ normal strength. Traditionally fumet is a strong broth.