Sopa de Pescado

Clara Gonzalez’s Sopa de Pescado builds its broth from fish heads, olive oil, lime juice, garlic and auyama. The broth is strained, returned to the pot with vegetables and cilantro, and finished with fish fillet pieces before the soup is served hot.

In a deep pot, the fish heads are mixed with olive oil, supplied lime juice, sliced garlic and half of the diced auyama. Water is poured in, and the covered pot boils over medium-high heat for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes, until the squash dissolves and the heads are cooked and flaky.

The pot is removed from the heat and the liquid is sieved to discard the solids. Large pieces of cheek meat may be dug out and returned to the broth. The same broth returns to the pot with cilantro, the supplied peeled and diced carrot and potatoes, and the remaining auyama.

The vegetables cook covered over medium-low heat for about ten minutes, until cooked through. The supplied small fish fillet pieces are added and cook for five to ten minutes. About half of the starting liquid should remain; more water may be added and heated through if there is too little, or the soup may simmer further to reduce it.

Salt and the selected ground pepper season the soup to taste. It is removed from the heat and served hot. The liquid has the consistency of broth, with cooked vegetables and pieces of fish.