Halászlé — Fiery Carp Fillets Soup with Bell Peppers & Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 lb Carp Fillets, in thick pieces
• 1 lb fish heads and bones, or 2 cups fish stock
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 Bell Peppers, sliced
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 hot green pepper, sliced
• 8 cups water
• 2 tbsp lard or oil
• Salt

Method

1. Salt the Carp Fillets pieces and refrigerate while you build the base — an hour of salting keeps the fish firm in the pot.
2. Simmer the fish bones with the onions and water for 25 minutes, then strain, pressing hard on the solids. This broth is the soup's backbone.
3. Heat the lard in a wide pot, kill the heat, and stir in both paprikas for 15 seconds off the flame. Paprika scorches in seconds and turns bitter, so never add it to a hot dry pan.
4. Add the strained broth immediately, then the Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and hot pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
5. Slide in the fish and cook 8–10 minutes at a bare simmer without stirring — swirl the pot by the handles instead, or the pieces break up. It is done at 145°F (63°C).
6. Taste for salt and heat, and serve with white bread and a cold glass of something. Adjust the hot paprika to your own bravery.