Ciarlas Fish Soup Recipes

CHUNKY TOMATO SOUP WITH BLOOD SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, 3 cans of cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the flavors develop, at least 20 minutes. Adjust for seasoning, if necessary.
• Meanwhile, cut the blood sausage into 1/2-inch rounds. Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet and add the blood sausage slices in small batches. Cook until the blood sausage is crispy and browned and has a deep flavor, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside to drain on a rack or on paper towels. Repeat until all the blood sausage is cooked.
• Serve the soup hot in bowls with the blood sausage and scallions on top. Serve with Tombstone Crackers.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pulse the flour, thyme, pepper, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. Add the melted butter and pulse 5 to 6 times.
• Add the water and pulse just until the dough starts to stick together (about 10 seconds). Remove the dough, press together gently with your hands to form a single square mass, and cut into four squares. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Roll out each individual piece of dough on a lightly-floured surface into a rectangle as thin as you can possibly get it. If the dough starts to shrink up, let it rest a little longer. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 2-inch-wide pieces. Place the pieces on the baking sheet.
• Bake, checking periodically to make sure the crackers aren't getting too brown, for 4 to 5 minutes, then flip each cracker piece and bake another 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet to get crispy.

CIARLA'S FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Place bacon in a 5-quart casserole. Cover loosely with paper toweling. Cook at 100 percent power for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and uncover.
• Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to paper toweling to drain; set aside. Pour off most of the fat from casserole, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Add oil and paprika and stir to make a paste. Mound in the center of casserole. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Add onion and garlic and toss to coat. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes 30 seconds. Stir in wine, 1 1/2 cups of the fish broth and lasagna pieces. Cover securely with microwave plastic wrap or with a tightly fitting lid and cook for 5 minutes.
• If using plastic, prick plastic to release steam. Remove from oven and uncover. Arrange clams, hinge-end down around the inside edge of the dish. Re-cover and cook for 5 minutes or until clams open. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in tomato puree and arrange mussels, hinge-end down, in the center of the dish. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until mussels open.
• If using plastic, prick to release steam. Remove from oven and uncover. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 4 minutes or until squid is opaque. Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in bacon pieces and serve.