Fish broth can be, well, fishy, yet it’s regarded as the most deeply nourishing of all the stocks. This one, however, infused with a shard of lemon zest, is good enough to stand on it’s own. Made with a fishmonger’s gift of salmon heads and a tail, it’s clear, fresh, and made in the Instant Pot, it’s ready in half an hour.
Lemon Scented Fish Broth – Just Half an Hour in the Instant Pot
Last Wednesday my fishmonger, Daniele, asked me if I wanted a salmon tail and a couple of heads. Oh, alright, I said. And so I arrived home with the makings of a fish broth. Whilst bone broth happens in our house regularly, I’m not in the habit of making fish stock, so I opened my kitchen bible, The Cooks Companion by Stefanie Alexander, to check the recipe.
So easy, and fish broth doesn’t take as long as bone broth – just 20 minutes in a simmering saucepan, so I set the Instant Pot on High Pressure for half that time. I made a couple of adjustments to Stefanie’s recipe. We avoid nightshades, so I passed on the peppercorns. Instead of a three-quarter cup of dry white wine, I added 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I used a half leek instead of a whole, and I tossed in a shard of lemon zest at the last minute (that’s why you won’t see it in the photo’s.) By a ‘shard’ of lemon zest, I mean swiping down from the stalk to the tip with a vegetable peeler that’s fine enough to remove the peel without the zest. There’s an image in my Salmon Salad with Fennel and Orange post.
Following Stefanie’s advice, I removed the gills from the fish heads, although I have no idea why she suggests that. I sort of chopped and pulled them away. I rinsed the fish really well, to eliminate all bloody, organy bits, and then popped them into the Instant Pot to sautè for a few minutes in the olive oil, making sure to scrape clean the base of the pot. After the fish, I tossed in all the other ingredients, and continued sautèing for another couple of mintutes. Then, I added water up to the 4 cup mark (just under 3 litres) with a little salt.
I let the Instant Pot release naturally, then drained the broth through a seive.
So pleased! Not only is it clear, but the lemon zest is beautifully infused, resulting in a fresh and clean flavour. Stored in mason jars in the fridge, it’s ready to be used as the base for laksa or steam-sauteing vegetables, but it’s so good that we’ve been simply reheating it as an easy, elegant and warming first course.
This recipe has been shared on Allergy Free Wednesday , the AIP Recipe Roundtable, Gluten Free Fridays and Real Food Fridays.
You might also like Double Dish Pork with Lemon and Sage.
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- 3 salmon heads and 1 tail
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- ½ leek, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 3 stalks parsely
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 generous sprig of thyme
- 1 shard of lemon zest, removed from the lemon with a vegetable peeler (no pith)
- 60mls (4 tablespoons) apple cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
- Rinse the fish heads and tail well under running water, and remove the fish gills.
- Heat the Instant Pot using the Sautè function, add the olive oil, and sautè the fish for two minutes.
- Add the other ingredients, and continue sautèing for another two minutes, scraping clean the bottom of the pot.
- Add water up to the 3½ litre (9 cup) mark. Close and lock the lid. Turn the steam release to 'sealing'. Using the 'Manual' function, adjust the time to 10 minutes high pressure cooking time.
- When the time is up, turn the Instant Pot off, and wait for the Float Valve to drop using Natural Pressure Release, about 20 minutes.
- Remove all the fish and vegetables, and drain the broth through a fine seive.
- Pour into mason jars, allow to cool with the lids on, and store in the fridge.
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Hi Angie,
I have always heard that fish broth was filled with nutrition and extremely healthy. I really don’t have access to fish heads, so I ‘ll just keep making my chicken and beef broth. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted. Have a healthy, happy & blessed Memorial Day weekend!
Hi Marla, Oh, fish broth is so good for you – you feel it! Maybe you can ask your Fishmonger for some fish heads – mine gives them to me for free, as he’s only going to throw them away. Thanks for the shares, and see you again soon on Real Food Fridays! A