Fish Soup with Onions, Cucumbers and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 2 1/ 2 pounds of sturgeon, halibut or haddock steaks, cut 1 inch thick
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of thinly sliced onions
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and halved, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, peeled , seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
• 4 teaspoons of capers
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
• 12 black olives

Directions

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pot, combine 6 1/ 2 cups of water, the onions, bay leaf, parsley and 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the fish, lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 6 minutes, until the fish is firm to the touch.
3. Remove the fish and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
4. Strain the fish stock through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down on the onions and herbs with the back of a spoon before discarding them.
5. In a 2- to 3-quart casserole, melt the butter over high heat.
6. Add the sliced onions, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are soft but not brown.
7. Stir in the cucumbers and tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes.
8. Pour in the strained fish stock, season with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and white pepper, and drop in the fish. Simmer gently a minute or two, until the soup and fish are heated through.
9. Off the heat and stir in the capers, lemon, parsley and olives.
10. Taste for seasoning and serve directly from the casserole