HalászléHungarian fish soup

• 2 kg4.4 lb whole carp (ponty), scaled and gutted; body cut crosswise into 3 cm steaks, head (gills removed), tail and fins kept
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil or lard
• 2 (about 250 g)2 (about 9 oz) yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1 Hungarian wax pepper (TV paprika) or other mild green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• 3 tbsp Hungarian sweet ground paprika (édesnemes fűszerpaprika), divided
• ½–1 tsp hot ground paprika, to taste
• 2.5 l10.5 cups water
• salt, about 1 tbsp in total
• 2–3 hot cherry peppers (cseresznyepaprika), optional, whole
• white bread, to serve

Method

1. 1

   1. Salt the carp steaks lightly on both sides and refrigerate while you make the stock.

2. 2

   2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and soften the onion for 8–10 minutes, until translucent but not browned.

3. 3

   3. Add the green pepper and tomato and cook for 3–4 minutes more, until the tomato collapses.

4. 4

   4. Take the pot off the heat, stir in 1 tbsp of the sweet paprika so it does not scorch, then add the carp head, tail and fins.

5. 5

   5. Pour in the water, bring to the boil, skim off the foam and simmer, half-covered, for 40 minutes.

6. 6

   6. Strain the stock through a sieve into a clean, wide pot, discarding the bones and vegetables.

7. 7

   7. Bring the stock back to the boil and stir in the remaining sweet paprika, the hot paprika and the cherry peppers if using.

8. 8

   8. Lay in the carp steaks in a single layer and cook at a brisk simmer for 15–20 minutes without stirring, shaking the pot now and then, until the flesh lifts easily from the bone.

9. 9

   9. Season with salt; the broth should be clear, glowing red and lightly peppery.

10. 10

    10. Serve two or three pieces of carp per bowl with plenty of broth, bread alongside and the cherry peppers for anyone who wants more heat.