Conger Soup (Conger soup)
Overview
Conger soup is the old island soup of Guernsey, made from the conger eel caught around its rocky coast. A large piece of conger, or a conger's head, is simmered in salted water for a long time to make a rich fish stock, which is then strained. Leeks or an onion, fresh green peas, a finely shredded cabbage heart, parsley and thyme are cooked in the stock until tender. The soup is thickened with milk mixed with a spoonful of cornflour and finished with a knob of butter, so it is pale, milky and gently herby. Some cooks return pieces of the fish to the soup, while others eat the conger separately. In neighbouring Jersey, marigold petals are often floated on top.
History
Conger has been fished around the Channel Islands since the Middle Ages, when huge quantities were caught and exported, and fishermen once sold it from barrows door to door. An old cookery book called conger soup the national dish of Sarnia, the Latin name of Guernsey, and said the boys of Elizabeth College were nicknamed the College Congers. By 1952 a writer in the Guernsey Press doubted that much of it was still made, and today conger is more often used as bait in lobster pots.
Main ingredients
Conger eel, fresh peas, cabbage, leeks, milk, parsley. The soup is built on milky conger broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Cabbage soups · Leek soups
Recipe
Method
- 13 h
Simmer the conger in the salted water for 2 to 3 hours, then strain the stock.
- 2
Return the stock to the pan with the leeks, peas, cabbage and herbs.
- 3
Cook gently until the vegetables are tender.
- 43 min
Mix the cornflour with the milk, stir it in and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
- 5
Stir in the butter and serve.
- ✓
Serve. About 3h 35m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
