Chraime Soup with Fish Balls and Roasted Early Girl Tomatoes

Roasted Tomato Chraime Soup

Roasted tomatoes bring concentrated sweetness that balances the chile and garlic. Briefly blooming the spices in olive oil gives the broth depth without making it heavy.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 4 cups thawed roasted Early Girl tomatoes with their juices
• 2 cups unsalted gluten-free fish stock or water, plus more as needed
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• to taste kosher salt
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, for finishing

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly. Add the paprika, cumin, caraway, and cayenne; stir for 20 seconds without scorching.
3. Add the roasted tomatoes and stock, scraping up the tomato paste. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Use an immersion blender briefly to make a mostly smooth broth with a little texture. Add water if necessary: it should be thick enough to coat a spoon but fluid enough to surround the fish balls.
5. Season lightly with salt, then poach the fish balls in the soup according to their component instructions.
6. Once the fish is cooked, gently stir lemon juice into the broth around the fish balls. Taste for salt, acidity, and heat. Reserve the cilantro for serving.

Notes

• For a spring dinner, use the frozen summer tomatoes rather than fresh out-of-season tomatoes. If unavailable, substitute 1 large 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes plus 1 additional tablespoon tomato paste; simmer until sweet and rounded.
• To prepare a future freezer batch, halve ripe Early Girl tomatoes, lightly coat with olive oil and salt, and roast cut-side up at 325°F for 90–120 minutes, until slumped and concentrated but still juicy. Cool promptly and freeze with their juices.
• If the broth tastes sharp, simmer a little longer before adding the fish rather than immediately adding sweetener.

Tender White Fish Balls

A portion of finely processed fish binds the mixture while the remaining chopped fish keeps it tender. Gentle poaching lets the balls absorb the spiced tomato broth without developing a tough exterior.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless cod or rockfish, well chilled and patted dry
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup finely grated yellow onion, squeezed dry
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Check the fish carefully for pin bones. Finely chop half of it with a knife.
2. Cut the remaining fish into chunks and pulse in a food processor with the salt until finely minced and just beginning to become tacky. Keep the mixture cold; do not process into a warm, smooth purée.
3. Combine both portions of fish with the egg, squeezed onion, parsley, lemon zest, and pepper. Mix firmly until cohesive, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. With damp hands, shape into 12 balls, roughly 2 inches across. Compress gently enough that they hold together without packing them hard.
5. Lower the balls into the barely simmering chraime broth in a single layer. Cover and poach gently for 12–16 minutes, turning carefully once if not submerged. Avoid a rolling boil.
6. Check the center of a large ball with an instant-read thermometer: it should reach 145°F and be opaque throughout. Remove from the heat as soon as cooked.

Notes

• If using already-cooked Seder fish balls, omit the raw-fish preparation. Nestle about 12 chilled balls into the finished broth and reheat gently, covered, until they reach 165°F at the center; do not boil.
• Keep the raw mixture cold and the grated onion well drained. Excess liquid makes the balls harder to shape.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Chilling the fish mixture while the soup simmers keeps the preparation efficient and gives the balls time to firm up.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Make the fish-ball mixture and refrigerate it.
2. 0:15 — Start the garlic, tomato paste, and spices; add the tomatoes and stock.
3. 0:30 — While the soup simmers, shape the chilled fish mixture and chop the cilantro.
4. 0:40 — Blend and adjust the broth, then add the fish balls and poach gently.
5. 0:55 — Check fish doneness, finish the broth with lemon, and serve.
6. For cooked leftovers, make the soup first and allow roughly 10–15 minutes for gentle reheating, checking the center temperature rather than relying on time alone.

Plating

Shallow bowls show off the fish balls while keeping plenty of tomato broth around each bite. Cilantro adds freshness against the concentrated tomatoes and warm spices.

Instructions

1. Place three fish balls in each of four warm, shallow bowls.
2. Ladle the tomato broth generously around and partly over the fish balls, leaving their rounded tops visible.
3. Scatter the reserved cilantro over each bowl and serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Storing the fish balls in their broth protects them from drying out. Low, gentle heat preserves their texture during reheating.

Instructions

1. Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Store the fish balls submerged in broth and keep fresh cilantro separately.
2. Use freshly cooked fish balls and soup within 3 days. If starting with Seder leftovers, count storage time from when those fish balls were originally cooked, not from when they were added to the soup.
3. Reheat only the portion needed over low heat, covered, adding a splash of water if the broth has thickened. Heat the fish balls to 165°F without vigorously boiling.
4. Finish reheated portions with fresh cilantro and a little lemon juice.

Notes

• The tomato soup base freezes well on its own for up to 3 months.