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Sopa de cazón
Small shark soup
Sopa de cazón: Margarita fish soup with small shark, pumpkin and potato
In Porlamar and the beach kitchens of Margarita, cazón (small shark) is simmered into a golden soup with pumpkin, potato and lots of ají dulce and coriander, eaten for Friday lunch and during Lent. Shark should only be bought from a sustainable, legal fishery; firm white fish such as pollock, hake or monkfish gives a very similar soup. The common mistake is overcooking the fish until it turns to threads. Chef's tip: poach the fish first, set it aside and only return it to the pot in the last 5 minutes.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb cazón (dogfish) or firm white fish such as pollockin steaks
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground annatto (onoto)
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 red pepperchopped
- 4 ají dulce (sweet chilli peppers)chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 1 celery sticksliced
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 14 oz pumpkinpeeled, 3 cm chunks
- 14 oz potatoespeeled, 3 cm chunks
- 2 tsp salt
- ⅔ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ¾ lb cazón (dogfish) or firm white fish such as pollock with 2 tbsp lime juice and rinse; this freshens the smell of shark. Simmer it in 8 ¼ cups water for 8–10 minutes, until opaque and it flakes easily. Lift it out, keep the broth, and break the fish into large flakes, removing skin and cartilage.
15 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 tsp ground annatto (onoto) in a large pot and fry 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 4 ají dulce (sweet chilli peppers), 4 cloves garlic, 3 spring onions and 1 celery stick for 8 minutes. Add 2 tomatoes and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook for 3 minutes.
11 minStep 4: Return the fish, simmer for 5 minutes to heat through, and stir in ⅔ oz fresh coriander.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa de cazón take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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