Miso, wakame, and roasted red peppers transform the salmon head stock into something divine. Add the flaked salmon, and the carrot and daikon waffles, which act like dumplings, and you have a salmon miso soup as nutritious as it is delicious.
Clean and roughly chop the leeks, onion, carrot, garlic, and celery stalks.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the olive oil.
Saute the chopped vegetables until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Add the water, salmon head and bones, bay leaves, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and star anise.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 1 hour.
Strain the stock, discarding the vegetables and salmon bones.
To prepare the waffles...
Peel and grate the carrots and daikon.
Grate the zucchini.
Put the grated carrots, daikon, and zucchini into a colander, sprinkle with a tsp salt, and allow to drain for 30 minutes.
Whisk the eggs, flour, and baking powder, slowly adding the milk, and set aside in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Should be a thick batter consistency.
Finely dice the onion.
Squeeze any remaining moisture out of the grated zucchini, carrot, and daikon.
In a large bowl, gently combine grated vegetables, onion, egg mixture, and salt.
Use a waffle maker to make the waffles.
Keep in the oven until ready.
To prepare the miso salmon soup...
Clean, trim, and roast the red peppers at 200 degC for 45 minutes.
Allow to cool a bit then dice into 5x5 cm pieces.
Finely chop the onion, chilli, and garlic.
Saute the onion, chilli, and garlic in butter in a high sided frying pan or wok until just starting to brown.
Add miso and simmer for a few minutes.
Add 1.5 litres of salmon head stock and bring to a boil.
Add the salmon fillets, skin side down. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer the salmon 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness.
To serve...
Remove the salmon from the soup.
Add the diced red pepper and the wakame to the soup. Simmer gently. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Remove the skin from the salmon then break up the salmon. It should flake easily.
Halve a waffle, then place the halves vertically in the middle of a wide soup bowl. Place flaked salmon pieces on top of the waffles.
Saddle soup into the bowl and garnish with dill or umibudou (sea grapes)