Fish and tomato soup

Name: Fish and tomato soup (Sancocho de cabeza de pescado)
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Ingredients: 2 small fish heads; 900 g/2 lb white fish fillets, such as hake or haddock; 900 g/2 lb white fish fillets, such as hake or haddock; 900 g/2 lb white fish fillets, such as hake or haddock; juice of 2 limes; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 4-5 tomatoes, peeled and seeded; 15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, thinly sliced; 1 small red (bell) pepper, coarsely grated; 60 ml/4 tbsp tomato purée (paste); 60 ml/4 tbsp tomato purée (paste); 2.5 ml/½ tsp Old Bay Seasoning; 1.5 ml/¼ tsp achiote or turmeric; 1.5 ml/¼ tsp achiote or turmeric; 50 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup red wine; 450 g/1 lb cockles or clams; 450 g/1 lb cockles or clams; 5 ml/1 tsp sugar; 30 ml/2 tbsp parsley, chopped; 30 ml/2 tbsp coriander (cilantro), chopped; 30 ml/2 tbsp coriander (cilantro), chopped; salt and ground black pepper; salt and ground black pepper; 3 limes, quartered, to serve

Sancocho de cabeza de pescado

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Colombia and Venezuela

By Patricia McCausland-Gallo

Published 2015

About

This soup is a favourite in Colombia and Venezuela. These days fish heads are less easy to get hold of, but they really help the soup’s flavour. We catch our own fish, and are often asked for fish heads by others who want to make this ‘fish head’ soup.

Ingredients

2 small fish heads
900 g/2 lb white fish fillets, such as hake or haddo

Americas
Colombia
Venezuela
Soup
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free
South America

Method

Rub the fish heads and fillets with lime juice and crushed garlic. Set aside for 10 minutes. Chop the tomatoes, retaining their juice.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, Old Bay Seasoning, achiote or turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for 2 minutes.