Conger eel soup

Name: Conger eel soup (Caldillo de congrio)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 1 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne strips; 600 g/1 lb 6 oz conger eel; 45 ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil; 5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano; 2 carrots, cut into large pieces; 1 red (bell) pepper, finely chopped; ½ onion, peeled; 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup white wine; 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced; 6 bay leaves; salt and black pepper; crusty bread, to serve; 2 litres/3½ pints/8 cups water; 10 ml/2 tsp paprika; 1 green chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if preferred); 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces; 1 sprig of fresh coriander (cilantro); 5 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 tomato; 2 celery stalks, cut into large pieces

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

Americas
Chile
Pescatarian
Soup

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