# Chraime Soup with Fish Balls and Cilantro > Tender white-fish balls sit in a thick tomato-and-pepper soup warmed with paprika, cumin, and caraway. Lemon and fresh cilantro lift the rich broth—a generous bowl for a spring holiday supper, and an especially good way to give chraime leftovers a second life. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/chraime-soup-with-fish-balls-sephardic-seder-leftovers - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-04-16 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Chraime Soup with Fish Balls and Cilantro](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F83f82867cc1a776b.jpg) ## Chraime Soup Slowly softened vegetables and bloomed spices create a rounded, aromatic base. Blending with olive oil gives the soup body without cream. ### Ingredients - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced - 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped - 6 cloves garlic, sliced - 2 tablespoons tomato paste - 2 teaspoons sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon ground cumin - 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less to taste - 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices - 3 cups gluten-free unsalted fish stock, divided - 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving - to taste kosher salt ### Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not deeply browned. 2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly. Add the paprika, cumin, caraway, and cayenne; stir for about 20 seconds without scorching. 3. Add the tomatoes and 2 cups of stock, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for 20 minutes, until the pepper is fully tender. 4. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or carefully blend in batches in a vented countertop blender. Return to the pot and add enough of the remaining stock to make a thick but ladleable soup. 5. Season lightly with salt, then cook the fish balls in the soup as directed in their component. After the fish is cooked, gently stir in lemon juice to taste without breaking the balls. 6. Reserve the cilantro for finishing individual bowls. ### Notes - Use canned tomatoes for consistent flavor in April, before the Bay Area's main tomato season. - If the soup tastes sharp, simmer it a little longer before adding the fish. If it becomes too thick during poaching, loosen it with hot stock or water. ## Tender White-Fish Balls A small portion of fish processed with salt and egg binds the remaining chopped fish without flour. Gentle poaching keeps the balls moist and lets them absorb the spiced broth. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless cod fillet, very cold and patted dry - 1 large egg - 1 clove garlic, finely grated - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest - 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt - 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper ### Instructions 1. Check the fish carefully for bones. Finely chop two-thirds of it by hand and keep cold. 2. Place the remaining fish in a food processor with the egg, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and white pepper. Pulse until a tacky paste forms, scraping down the bowl as needed; do not let the mixture warm up. 3. Fold the fish paste into the chopped fish until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 4. With damp hands, form 8 large, slightly flattened balls about 2 1/2 inches across. Handle gently rather than compressing them tightly. 5. Bring the blended soup to a bare simmer in a pot wide enough to hold the fish balls in one layer. Lower them into the soup and spoon broth over any exposed tops. 6. Cover partially and poach gently for 15–20 minutes, spooning soup over the tops occasionally. Avoid a rolling boil or vigorous stirring. The centers should reach 145°F and be opaque throughout. ### Notes - If the mixture feels too soft to shape, chill it for another 15 minutes rather than adding flour. - For already-cooked leftover fish balls, skip the raw-fish method and warm them gently in the finished soup to 165°F. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Preparing and chilling the fish while the vegetables simmer keeps the cooking efficient and the fish mixture cold. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Chop the soup vegetables and start softening the onion and pepper. 2. 0:12 — Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices, then the tomatoes and stock. Simmer until tender. 3. 0:18 — Prepare the fish mixture and refrigerate it. Wash the processor, utensils, and work surface after handling raw fish. 4. 0:35 — Blend the soup and adjust its consistency. Shape the chilled fish mixture. 5. 0:40 — Add the fish balls and poach gently until their centers reach 145°F. 6. 0:55–1:05 — Adjust the lemon and salt, garnish, and serve. ## Plating Shallow bowls show the fish balls above the thick soup, while cilantro adds a fresh contrast to the warm spices. ### Instructions 1. Place two fish balls in each warmed shallow bowl. 2. Ladle the soup around and partly over them, leaving some pale fish visible. 3. Scatter cilantro leaves and tender stems loosely across the surface and serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Storing the fish in its broth protects it from drying out; gentle reheating preserves its texture. ### Instructions 1. Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep the fish balls covered with soup and store the cilantro separately. 2. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. If using Seder leftovers, count storage time from when the fish was originally cooked, not when it was turned into soup. 3. Reheat only the portion needed over low heat, adding a splash of water if thick. Bring the fish and soup to 165°F without prolonged boiling. 4. Finish reheated bowls with fresh cilantro and a little lemon juice. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.