Rookie Pan
← All recipes
Hungary, Europe

Halászlé (Hungarian Fisherman's Soup)

Hungary's fiery red fish soup: a broth of fish bones and onions, coloured with plenty of paprika, in which chunks of carp or catfish gently poach.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time1 h 8 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsFreshwater fish can contain small bones even in fillets. Check pieces for children and eat slowly.

Method

  1. Rinse the fillet and pat it dry. If you use carp, score the skin side crosswise every 4 to 5 mm almost down to the skin; this cuts the fine bones so they soften while cooking. Cut into 5 cm pieces, sprinkle with part of the salt and refrigerate. Rinse the fish heads and bones well, removing any gills (they make the stock bitter).

    Add in this stepCarp or catfish fillet, skin on (or any firm freshwater or white fish) 400 gSalt 0.4 tsp

  2. Put the heads and bones, the roughly chopped onions and the cold water into a 20 cm pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, skim off the grey foam, then lower to low heat and simmer uncovered for , until the onion is completely soft and the stock tastes of fish.

    Add in this stepFish heads, bones and tails (for the stock) 350 gOnions 1½Cold water 1,000 ml

    high heat→low heat

  3. Set a sieve over a bowl and pour the stock through. With the back of a ladle, press the soft onion and any loose fish flesh through the mesh; this is what gives halászlé its body. Throw away the bones that stay behind and pour the stock back into the rinsed pot.

  4. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sweet and hot paprika (paprika burns and turns bitter if it hits a dry, hot pan). Add the pepper cut into rings, the diced tomato and the remaining salt. Bring back to a lively boil on medium-high heat and cook for , so the paprika blends into the broth and turns it glossy red.

    Add in this stepSweet Hungarian paprika 1¾ tbspHot paprika ½ tspHungarian wax pepper (or light green pepper) 1Tomato 1Salt 0.9 tsp

    medium-high heat

  5. Slide in the fish pieces, skin side down. Simmer on medium-low heat for , without stirring; instead, gently swirl the pot by its handles now and then so the pieces stay whole. The fish is ready when it is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed.

    medium-low heat

  6. Taste for salt. Ladle into deep, warm bowls with the fish on top. Serve with the sliced fresh chilli for those who like more heat, and crusty bread on the side.

    Add in this stepFresh hot chilli (to serve) 1Slices of crusty white bread 2

Cook's tip

Real paprika makes or breaks this soup: use fresh, bright red Hungarian sweet paprika. If you cannot get fish heads, use a light fish stock instead of water and add an extra onion. Carp and catfish have bones; eat carefully and warn children.

Cooking it at camp

Halászlé was born over an open fire in a cauldron by the river. In a heavy pot on a camp stove or grill grate, make the stock first, sieve it into a second pot or bowl, then finish the soup; keep the fish cold in the cooler until it goes in.