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SpanishAuthentic Cuisine

Sopa de Marisco

Serves 4 to 6 Soup seafood, Soups

Sopa de Marisco

Sopa de Marisco is a staple along the Cantabrian and Mediterranean coasts, seamlessly woven into the daily rhythm of Spanish coastal life. Family kitchens know this dish by heart, crafting it with the bounty of the sea, brought fresh from the local markets. This home-style version reflects that tradition, with a straightforward approach to seasoning and an abundance of seafood that speaks to the generosity inherent in Spanish cooking.

The soup captures the essence of the ocean with every spoonful. Sweet mussels and briny clams mingle with tender shrimp and firm chunks of monkfish or hake, all enveloped in a rich broth tinged with saffron's golden hue and the smoky warmth of pimentón. A hint of dry white wine adds depth, making each bite a celebration of the sea's flavors.

Ingredients

  • 400 gmussels — scrubbed
  • 300 gclams — purged in salted water
  • 300 gshrimp — peeled with shells reserved
  • 200 gmonkfish or hake — cut into chunks
  • 1onion — finely chopped
  • 2ripe tomatoes — grated
  • 2 clovesgarlic — minced
  • 1 tspsweet pimentón
  • 1 pinchsaffron threads
  • 100 mldry white wine
  • 1.2 Lfish stock
  • 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Begin by preparing the vegetables and aromatics. Finely chop 1 onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Dice 2 ripe tomatoes, ensuring all pieces are of a similar size to ensure even cooking. This will prevent any ingredient from turning to pulp before the others are tender.
  2. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of sweet pimentón and stir for an additional minute to let the spice bloom, releasing its aroma without browning.
  3. Add the diced tomatoes to the pot and cook until they soften and meld with the onion and garlic, about 5 minutes. Pour in 100 ml of dry white wine, allowing it to simmer until the alcohol evaporates and the mixture slightly thickens, which should take a couple of minutes.
  4. Pour in 1.2 liters of fish stock and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add a pinch of saffron threads, stirring to distribute the color and flavor evenly. Allow the base to simmer for about 10 minutes, letting the flavors meld together.
  5. While the base simmers, clean 400 g of mussels and 300 g of clams, discarding any that are open and do not close when tapped. Peel and devein 300 g of shrimp, and cut 200 g of monkfish or hake into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Add the prepared seafood to the simmering broth. Start with the mussels and clams, allowing them to cook until they open, indicating they are done. Then add the shrimp and fish pieces, cooking until the shrimp turn pink and opaque and the fish is tender and flaky.
  7. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt to your preference. Once the seafood is cooked and the flavors are balanced, ladle the soup into bowls. Finish with a drizzle of raw olive oil for a touch of richness before serving.
Cover of Authentic Spanish Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Spanish Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Spanish Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Spanish volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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