French · Authentic-ish French
Soupe de Poisson
331 kcal a serving, against 662 for the traditional version. That is 331 kcal off, or 50%, with 39.7g of protein. Serves 6. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A pungent, murky broth made from cheap rockfish, tomatoes and fennel, heavily enriched with olive oil at every stage. It is served with toasted baguette slices, a small mountain of grated Gruyere cheese, and a traditional rouille. The rouille is a thick, fiery mayonnaise made by blending egg yolks, garlic and chillies with vast quantities of oil.
What changed, and what each change costs
250g of olive oil down to 15g
The original uses oil to fry the vegetable base, then blends cups of it into the egg yolks for the rouille. I use a tiny bit to soften the fennel and completely skip the rest.
What it costs you. You lose the slick, heavy mouthfeel that coats your lips. The broth is thinner and sharper, lacking the luxurious finish that a massive dose of fat provides.
Egg yolk and oil rouille for fat-free Greek yoghurt
A traditional rouille is basically a fiery garlic mayonnaise. I use Greek yoghurt mixed with crushed garlic, saffron and a pinch of chilli flakes instead.
What it costs you. I admit the original rouille is far better. My version cuts through the soup well, but it entirely lacks the rich, fatty punch of the real thing.
Adding 500g of fresh mussels
Blended white fish alone doesn't offer enough structure when you remove the fat. Mussels bulk out the bowl and provide a massive amount of lean meat to keep you full.
What it costs you. You'll actually have to chew your soup. It stops being a smooth, refined starter and becomes a rustic, chunky main course.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 662 | 331 |
| Protein | 25.2g | 39.7g |
| Fat | 50.3g | 6.1g |
| Saturated fat | 9.8g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 23.2g | 22.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.8g | 12g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. fish, molluscs, milk, gluten, sulphites.
The method is in the book
The soup itself is absolutely fantastic. It is a massive, highly flavoured bowl of fish, fennel and saffron that warms you right through. The yoghurt rouille is the obvious compromise. A sharp dairy dressing, then. Not a silky, rich emulsion, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. It does the job of bringing raw garlic and a tangy kick to the bowl, but the texture is completely different. Still, you've completely skipped the pint of oil, so you can actually stay awake after eating this one.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback