Hungarian Fisherman's Soup (Halászlé)

About This Recipe

Halászlé is the Hungarian fisherman's great contribution to soup culture — a blazingly red, paprika-rich broth made from carp and river fish, intensely flavored with sweet and hot paprika. Made originally by fishermen on the banks of the Danube and Tisza rivers in massive cauldrons (bogrács), it's one of Hungary's most celebrated national dishes. The Baja and Szeged versions both fiercely claim superiority.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgfreshwater fish (carp, catfish, or a mix)
• 2 largeonions, finely chopped
• 4 tbspsweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tbsphot Hungarian paprika
• 2 mediumtomatoes, chopped
• 1 mediumgreen pepper, chopped
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 literswater
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 pieceswhole hot chili peppers

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the fish stock

   Clean and cut the fish. Reserve the heads and frames. Simmer fish heads and frames with onions in water for 30 minutes to make a rich stock. Strain.

2. 2

   Build the soup base

   In the same pot, heat oil and cook onions until soft. Add sweet and hot paprika and stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and green pepper.

3. 3

   Combine with stock

   Add the strained fish stock. Bring to a boil. Add chili peppers and salt.

4. 4

   Cook the fish

   Add fish pieces to the boiling soup. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15–20 minutes until fish is cooked through. Do not stir — the fish will break up.

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle carefully into bowls, keeping fish pieces intact. Serve with white bread.

Variations

• •

  Szeged style: pass the base through a sieve before adding fish

• •

  Add fish roe to the soup if available

• •

  Make with ocean fish (salmon, cod) for a non-traditional version

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Fish soups don't reheat well — make what you'll eat.

Frequently Asked Questions