Note: This is a rather flexible recipe. From the following ingredients you might leave out the tomatoes if you like to make a more traditional fish stock. Sometimes parsley can leave your stock a little cloudy so if you want a more clear broth leave that out. It’s all up to you. Fish stock, however made is however a basic need for Cioppino – Fish Stew

Note: You may use most vegetables you have on hand. Most green scallions are great!  I do however draw the line at things like Turnips or Rutabagas, please. do not go there!

3 fish remains, head and cartilage (except gills and guts), including heads of non-oily fish such as Salmon, Tuna,, Flounder, or Tilapia. Snapper, Cod, Sole, or Halibut are great. If you have cleaned some shrimp, throw in those shells as well.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 tomatoes, halved (I have gone to some of the smaller imported tomatoes. Fresh is always better and old canned tomatoes can have issues.
½ cups yellow onions
2 or more stalks celery, chopped
2  LARGE cloves garlic
2-5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs parsley (optional)
1 or two leaves of Greek Bay. Not California Bay.
½ cup good DRY white wine
Kosher salt
1 – 2 Tbs. black pepper corns
2 quarts water (in a 8 qt. saucepan.)

1. Warm oil in stockpot. Add the hard vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cook, covered, over medium heat until vegetables are soft, 12–15 minutes. Add garlic and any green scallion trimmings, leeks, garlic, onion tops and cook for 2 more minutes.
2. Add remains of fileted fish (head and cartilage), tomatoes, add water, white wine, salt, pepper, thyme sprigs, and parsley to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, stir and reduce heat to simmer for an hour or two. Use a wooden spoon to stir.
3. Remove the big stuff with tongs and strain the liquid though a spaghetti strainer. Use then, refrigerate or freeze what you have left over. It will last in the refrigerator for a few days and in the freezer for a year.