Kakavia (Traditional Fishermen’s Soup)
28 Aug 2024
Kakavia (Traditional Fishermen’s Soup)
This Lyndey Milan recipe is from Lyndey & Blair’s Taste of Greece Book (Hardie Grant RRP $39.95).
Lyndey is a popular, experienced international tour host and you can join her on one of her Culinary & Cultural Tours in Morocco 30 April – 11 May or Puglia (Italy) 13 – 20 May.
This is traditional fisherman’s soup, as cooked on the boats. Any fish, except oily ones, are used, even ones that are half eaten by larger fish as it all adds to the mix. Greece is blessed with wonderful olive oil, so fishermen are liberal with it in this soup – add to your taste. While red onions are traditional, white or brown give a more subtle colour to the soup.
Serves 8 as part of a meal, 6 main courses
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups (1L) fish stock
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
750g potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-2.5cm dice
2 medium red (or white) onions, finely sliced
2 sticks of celery and
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, which can be roughly chopped (in place of selino)
½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil or more to your taste
2kg fresh fish, mixed, large and small
Freshly ground pepper and salt
Chopped parsley to your taste
6 slices of stale country style bread or 3 halved bread rolls
Method:
- Place fish stock in a large saucepan with carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, parsley and olive oil. Top up with water if necessary to cover vegetables. Simmer, over a medium low heat for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to soften.
- Add larger fish and cook gently for 5 minutes. Then add the smaller fish and cook for another 5 minutes. It is important that the fish are not overcooked, so they remain whole and do not disintegrate.
- Carefully remove the large and small fish with a slotted spoon. Debone, discarding the bones. If preferred, save some small whole fish to place on top as a garnish.
- Add the deboned fish to the stock and vegetables and reheat gently. Season to taste, add parsley. Place a piece of bread in the bottom of each individual soup bowl and ladle over the soup.
Lyndey’s Note: To make your own fish stock put 1kg white fish bones and heads in a large pot with 3 slices lemon, a peeled and quartered brown onion, small carrot, bay leaf, a few black peppercorns and some parsley stalks, add enough cold-water or just cover ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming occasionally. Strain and use.
Recipe from Lyndey & Blair’s Taste of Greece (available here)
Lyndey Milan OAM aims to inspire, nourish and connect people. A familiar face on television and in print, she has been instrumental in changing the way Australians think about food and wine for four decades via her own nine best-selling cookbooks, nine international TV series and influence as former Food Director of the iconic Australian Women’s Weekly. She is an award-winning multi-media presenter, MC, speaker, food & wine teacher, consultant, debater, judge and regional Australian specialist who makes numerous TV & culinary appearances.
With a profile beyond Australia, she is a popular international tour host and will be returning to Morocco and Puglia in 2024. She also works as an enrichment speaker on cruises.
Lyndey is a key contributor to Selector magazine, writes freelance, has reviewed for the Good Food Guide since 1987. A Councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW where she was the first female Vice-President. She is Co-Founder and Patron of Tasting Success, a mentoring programme for female chefs, an Ambassador for the Leukaemia Foundation, Cure Cancer and is active with many other charities.
Please visit lyndeymilan.com for more information.
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