Conger eel soup

Name: Conger eel soup (Caldillo de congrio)
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 600 g/1 lb 6 oz conger eel; 1 tomato; 45 ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne strips; 1 red (bell) pepper, finely chopped; 1 green chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if preferred); 10 ml/2 tsp paprika; 5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano; 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup white wine; 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces; 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice; salt and black pepper; salt and black pepper; crusty bread, to serve; ½ onion, peeled; ½ onion, peeled; 2 carrots, cut into large pieces; 2 celery stalks, cut into large pieces; 1 sprig of fresh coriander (cilantro); 1 sprig of fresh coriander (cilantro); 5 garlic cloves, peeled; 6 bay leaves; 2 litres/3½ pints/8 cups water

Caldillo de congrio

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Food and Cooking of Chile

By Boris Basso Benelli

Published 2014

About

This classic fish soup from the Chilean coast became known to the wider world thanks to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who wrote an ode to the dish, Oda al Caldillo de Congrio. Conger eel can be difficult to find, but you can substitute monkfish tail for similarly delectable results.

Ingredients

600 g/1 lb 6 oz conger eel
1

Method

First, prepare the conger eel. Using a sharp knife, remove and reserve the head. Slice off the flesh from either side of the backbone, to form long fillets. Reserve the backbone. Dip your fingers in salt, for better grip, then pull off the skin from the fillets. Discard. Cut each fillet into two pieces and remove any bones.
Place the eel’s head and the backbone

Energy 386kcal/1613kJ; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 25g, of which sugars 11g; Fat 19g, of which saturates 1g; Cholesterol 225mg; Calcium 150mg; Fibre 5g; Sodium 108mg