Pataky Péter Tisza Fish Soup

Name: Pataky Péter Tisza Fish Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Magyaros
Ingredients: 600 g catfish fillet; 4 pcs (approx. 400 g) red onion, very finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 4 tablespoons finely ground paprika; 1 pc (approx. 100 g) green bell pepper; 1 pc (approx. 100 g) ripe tomato, peeled, or 100 g peeled canned tomatoes; Salt; 1 small (approx. 1 kg) carp and, if available, approx. 400-700 g mixed small fish (bream, crucian carp, zander, etc.); 1 hot pepper or 3-4 pcs cherry peppers; Hot pepper; Spring onion; Kadarka; Siller

4 servings

Buy all ingredients right below the recipe

INGREDIENTS

600 g catfish fillet
4 pcs (approx. 400 g) red onion, very finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons finely ground paprika
1 pc (approx. 100 g) green bell pepper
1 pc (approx. 100 g) ripe tomato, peeled, or 100 g peeled canned tomatoes
Salt
1 small (approx. 1 kg) carp and, if available, approx. 400-700 g mixed small fish (bream, crucian carp, zander, etc.)
1 hot pepper or 3-4 pcs cherry peppers

FOR SERVING

Hot pepper
Spring onion
Kadarka
Siller

PREPARATION

1
Clean and fillet the carp.
2
Cut it into bite-sized pieces, and with the skin side down, score the flesh down to the skin in matchstick-thick intervals, then salt it.
3
Cut the catfish into pieces and salt it as well.
4
Place the carp spine and head, and if available, small fish, into a large pot (at least 7 liters) and pour in 4-5 liters of water. This much water is needed because more than half of it will boil away.
5
Add the onion, garlic, chopped bell pepper, and tomato.
6
After one hour, strain it through a sieve, thoroughly squeeze out the liquid, but do not mash it!
7
Return the strained liquid to the stove, bring it to a boil, and add the fish fillets. Let it boil once, then turn off the heat, as fish cooks even at 40-50 degrees Celsius.
8
When serving, check the saltiness again; if needed, add salt, and serve with crusty sourdough bread and hot peppers.

Tip

We boil the fish soup vigorously so that the fish fat and the liquid can form a silky emulsion with the help of paprika. You can freshen up the fish soup by finely dicing a small amount of pointed hot pepper and spring onion, then sprinkling it over when serving. If you get fish milt and roe, add them to the fish soup only at the very end. A glass of light Kadarka or Siller wine pairs well with it. This recipe is a cross between Baja and Tisza fish soup.

Pataky Péter

Péter enjoys exploring the world's thousand-flavored playground alongside classic Hungarian dishes. Currently, he utilizes his knowledge as a chef, restaurant consultant, in cooking shows, and as a co-owner of a sous vide meat processing plant. Taste his delicacies!