The Wild Harvest Table website is a resource for game and fish recipes, nutrition information, and preparation techniques from Cornell Cooperative Extension's Moira Tidball.

Spring is a great time for perch fishing! This elegant soup also works well with other kinds of lean fish.

Ingredients:

1 lb. skinless, boneless perch fillets
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped leeks
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes or canned
Handful of fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup chopped celery
2 cups fish stock (can make with the perch bones/heads)
2 cups white wine
1 pinch of saffron
½ tsp thyme, dried
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt or to taste
Dash of pepper
Dash of white pepper
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp Pernod or Jägermeister liquor

Directions:

In a large sauce pot or Dutch oven sauté leeks and onion in olive oil until soft, but not browned. Add tomatoes, parsley, garlic, and celery and continue to cook a stir a bit for about 2 more minutes. Add the fish stock, white wine, saffron, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the fish and tomato paste. Raise the heat to bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes- you want the fish to break apart. Remove the bay leaves. Use an immersion blender and blend the soup in the pot or blend in small batches in a blender. Soup does not have to be perfectly smooth because a bit of texture from the fish and vegetables is desirable in this soup. Add the cream and the Pernod or Jägermeister. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread or big croutons. Serves about 6.