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Gluten Free Bread from Scratch – the Experiment

02 Sunday Jun 2013

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ingredAnd now for something completely different…bread made from scratch!  Gluten free!  This is definitely going out on a limb in here, for I rarely keep any kind of breads in my house, and while I love to cook I can’t remember making bread from scratch ever.  Maybe a pie crust or cake awhile back, but not a loaf of bread!  And certainly not gluten-free.

Oh boy…gluten free eating.  There is so much information out there about gluten intolerance, Celiac disease and on and on.  So many stories about the benefits of cutting gluten out of our diets.  I am no expert in diet or nutrition.  But I love to cook and thought…why not try a GF recipe?  Maybe try eating GF for a while and see what happens?  I haven’t been diagnosed intolerant, but I haven’t specifically been tested for it either.

One thing to note about GF eating…it can be expensive.  I don’t know the exact reason for this, but one seems to be that the best selections of GF foods are in specialty grocery stores where prices are going to be higher in general.  Now this isn’t always the case 100% of the time – remember this is amateur hour GF blogging in here today.  I’m learning…and enjoying the journey!

Personally I don’t have a problem with spending a little more on food.  Eating out, cooking and even grocery shopping itself are all huge pleasures for me.  Adventurous and fascinating!  I like to say that what we put in our bodies – our fuel – is so essential, so why not make it the best?  And if that means spending a little more, why not?  Now if I was married and raising 5 kids I might think differently about grocery shopping.

I recently picked up a copy of Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking, by Kelli and Peter Bronski.  And I really hit the jackpot with this book.  It’s beautifully written and easy to understand.  It’s very warm and welcoming – not snooty or pretentious.  As you might expect, the first part of the book talks about gluten – what it is and what intolerance means.  It also provides tips on how to navigate the grocery store and how to read ingredient labels.  Gluten is not always going to be called out as “gluten” on a label.  It can be hidden in things like soy sauce or yogurt.  The authors even go on to recommend NOT buying GF things like potato starch or brown rice flour in the bulk food section of the store to save money.  There is risk of cross-contamination with the containers and scoops.  Yikes.

So this weekend I went in a completely different cooking direction and baked a loaf of bread.  I was intrigued by the GF flour recipe that is the foundation of so many of the recipes in this book – breads, cookies, waffles, cakes and pasta.  The authors recommend making a large batch of it (meaning, quadruple their recipe) and storing it in an air-tight container in the fridge.  I made the batch as-is (about 3 cups) and used all of it in the bread recipe.

But first, a trip to the grocery store was in order.  I’m familiar with a few specialty ingredients, and knew the best place to start was the PCC in my neighborhood.  The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable.  If they don’t have something you need, they will go to the ends of the earth to find it for you!  So in this picture we have about $30 worth of ingredients.  See what I mean about pricey?  Much more $$ than your everyday garden variety plain ol’ white flour.  The topper was the 8 ounces of xanthan gum – $12!  What the hell is xanthan gum, you might be wondering?  Well, it basically is the substitute for gluten.  It binds ingredients together like gluten does.  So don’t leave it out trying to save a few bucks!  You won’t be very happy how your recipes turn out.

The one thing that stumped me was potato flour.  I had no problems finding the potato starch, but couldn’t find potato flour anywhere.  So I asked one of the guys for help and he returned with another guy in tow.  They explained that potato starch and potato flour are exactly the same thing.  Hmmm…I wondered…is this true?  I told them that the recipe I’m going to do calls them out distinctly as two separate ingredients.  So they recommended using dried potato flakes and pureeing them in a food processor into a flour.  Sounds good to me!  I don’t know if this is what the authors intended, so I still want to research this further and see if other stores carry potato flour. Or I might just have to poke around online.

I used the bowl attachment of my Cuisinart Smart Stick Blender and it worked beautifully for this basic recipe – about 3 cups total.

Artisan Gluten Free Flour Mix

  • 1 1/4 C brown rice flour
  • 3/4 C sorghum flour
  • 2/3 C cornstarch
  • 1/4 C potato starch
  • 1 T + 1 tsp potato flour
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum

Combine all ingredients and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.  Now for the BREAD…this recipe makes 1 loaf – about 12 servings:

  • 2 1/4 C milk
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 T salted butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 1/4 C of the GF flour mix (above)
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 2 1/4 tsp (1 package) active dry yeast

Grease a 9 x 5″ loaf pan.  Heat the milk, sugar, salt and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed and the butter is fully melted.  If the milk heats too quickly before the butter fully melts, remove the saucepan from the heat and finish melting the butter.  Mix the GF flour, xanthan gum and yeast in a large bowl.  Add the warm milk mixture, stirring to combine.  The dough will be very sticky.  Spread the dough in the prepared loaf pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm location free from drafts for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

breadPreheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Bake the loaf for 40 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Here’s what my loaf looked like just before popping it in the oven – yum!  I had covered it loosely with a kitchen towel.  My cooking time was a little longer than 40 minutes.  Test by inserting a toothpick in the loaf.  If it comes out clean, the bread is done.

And the verdict?  Wonderful!  The bread turned out very moist, not crumbly.  I tried a slice plain, and while it’s OK on its own I would recommend using it for sandwiches or for dipping in soups.  Great news – it’s a blank canvas!

I’m very excited to try more recipes in this book…buon appetito!

Random Vinaigrette with Smoked Paprika

24 Sunday Jun 2012

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Two words:  Smoked Paprika.  Where did I first see this recently?  I honestly can’t remember because I would certainly post the link here to give credit where it’s due.  I’d never, ever heard of smoked paprika until just yesterday and for some reason got intrigued.  I had to find out more about this spice!

I enjoy cooking with the more typical sweet paprika for sure…quite a few of the various South American soup recipes I’ve posted in here call for paprika.  I smile and remember the thrill of two trips to Budapest, Hungary in my lifetime (SUCH a beautiful city – very highly recommended) and picking up some tins of paprika in the busy markets on the Pest side of the (Danube) River.  Great gifts and souvenirs; after the paprika is used up the tins are so pretty for decoration or re-using.

It was meant to be.  I had to make a quick trip to the grocery store today and ta daaaa…many of the spices at the Albertson’s down the street are half off for the next few days!  I don’t mind splurging on food at all – I budget quite a bit toward eating out and grocery shopping actually – but stocking up on spices can add up!  I will likely now go do the “smell test” on every other spice I haven’t replaced recently to see if they’re still fresh.  And I’m a bit of a goofball because I alphabetize my spices in my pantry.  But how else can you quickly find what you need?  Smoked paprika, welcome to my spice shelves!

I found this recipe in an online search and just whipped it up in my mini Cuisinart (the one small appliance that doesn’t have a broken latch or leaks).  This makes about 1 1/2 Cups so the mini food processor is a perfect size.  The vinaigrette is a beautiful, deep rich orange color…so pretty to look at and the flavors are incredible!

Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 C red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 C honey
  • 1 T stone-ground mustard
  • 1 T lime juice
  • 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp salt (I used my standard grey Celtic sea salt)
  • 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 T chopped onion
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1 pinch white sugar (optional)
  • 1/2 C olive oil

Blend all ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor until thoroughly mixed. Drizzle the olive oil into the mixture while blending on low.  Cover and chill at least one hour before serving.

Fivenineteen notes:  taste the vinaigrette and add a tiny pinch of white sugar if it’s too tart for your taste.  If you’re using a food processor, the little hole at the top is perfect to slowly infuse the olive oil with the rest of the ingredients. 

I was a little nervous about using the honey in my pantry because it’s raw.  It doesn’t flow out of the jar like typical honey does – it’s so thick you need to scoop it out with a spoon…you can turn the jar upside down and it won’t come out.  But it turned out great!

This is also a wonderful choice for a marinade…I can’t wait to try this tonight!

Buon appetito!

Even More Soup! Fish Chowder with Fresh Fava Beans

23 Saturday Jun 2012

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…OK, I admit right off the bat I didn’t use Fava beans in my version (*ducks behind the sofa*), but this still is some GOOD STUFF in a bowl.  And I smile and remember my hilarious (and Danish) co-worker’s Facebook comment that I’m turning into the “Soup Master.”  Well, I humbly am not but I appreciate her compliment and humor (she’s a great friend too).  I am just a (middle-aged) girl in the Seattle suburbs with a passion for making soups from scratch.  Just executing/attempting on other’s recipes and not coming up with my own, save for what I ad lib and substitute where needed.  And having a blast along the way.

Today (Saturday) was one of those days where a big batch of soup was the perfect antidote to a tough end of the week.  I’ll save the recap for tomorrow’s post, however.  It did involve an extremely rainy day and a change into illegal, ripped-up leggings once I got home, just as a preview.

Let’s get down to the good stuff:  Chupe de Pescado con Habas Verdes (Fish chowder with fresh Fava beans)  Serves 6.

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground annatto or sweet paprika
  • 1 medium-sized onion, minced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 2 medium-sized ripe but firm tomatoes (about 10 oz), peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1 T fresh mirasol pepper puree, store-bought or homemade
  • 2 T plus 1/4 C minced fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 3 C fish stock or chicken broth
  • 1/4 C long-grain rice
  • 4 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced 1″ thick
  • 1 1/2 lb firm white-fleshed fish fillets such as sea bass, monkfish, catfish or halibut, cut into 6 pieces
  • 3/4 C shelled fava beans, blanched and peeled, or fresh peas
  • 2 ears corn, each cut into 3 pieces, or 1 C fresh corn kernels
  • 5 oz fresh goat cheese
  • 1 C milk, or more if needed
  • 1 large egg (optional), lightly beaten
  • 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a large, heavy saucepan (I used a 6-quart Calphalon pan, wider than it’s tall), heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the annatto/paprika, onion, garlic paste, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper puree, 2 T of the cilantro, oregano, cumin and sugar.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and the mixture is like a thick sauce, about 20 minutes.  Add a little water while the tomatoes are cooking if the mixture begins to get dry.  Add the fish stock and simmer for 15 minutes.  The soup can be prepared ahead up to this point.  Let cool, cover and refrigerate up to overnight.

To finish, bring the soup back to a boil, add the rice and potatoes, and cook for 15 minutes.  Add the fish, fava beans and corn and simmer for 8 minutes.  Add the cheese and milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted and the milk has heated through.  The soup should have the consistency of heavy cream; add more milk or water if it is too thick. (Keep in mind that potato-based soups thicken as they stand.) Taste for salt and white pepper.  If using the egg, add in a stream and stir until it forms strands.  Just before serving, stir in the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes, until they turn pink and begin to curl.

To serve, in each soup plate place 1 piece of fish, a couple of shrimp, 3 or 4 potato slices, and 1 piece of corn (if using ears of corn). Ladle the chowder over these, sprinkle each plate with some of the remaining 1/4 C cilantro, and serve immediately.

Fivenineteen notes:  Wow, this is a delicious chowder!  And while I like to first make new recipes exactly as they’re written, I took a few liberties right off the bat with this one due to – admittedly – some laziness.

I could not find Fava beans at my nearby QFC (grocery store).  So I decided to just go with the frozen peas I knew I had in the freezer and let them thaw out a bit before adding to the chowder. 

I used 3 potatoes instead of 4.  For some reason, the 4th one I peeled tonight to get sliced up was an oddly weird and pale shade and full of too many moldy spots after peeling.  Just a flukey thing, so into the trash it went.  I figured it was worth the risk of too few potatoes versus having one that was not up to par.

The Mirasaol pepper puree?  I didn’t feel like making it from scratch (maybe I’m still gun shy thanks to my leaky blender, heh)  and could not find it in the grocery store either.  I’d decided to substitute my favorite hot cayenne pepper sauce made by Trappeys.  But I’m glad I picked up a backup plan of a hot Mexican hot sauce at the grocery store just in case, because when I got home, I noticed my trusty bottle of Trappey’s was near-empty and greyish red.  Not the happy, vibrant color it usually is.  I took a tiny taste of it on my finger and yep, it’s gone stale.  It’s great stuff and I’ve placed an online order to get restocked meanwhile, as it’s no longer at my nearby QFC.  Be SURE to find a good, hot cayenne or Habanero pepper sauce for this chowder if you are opting not to make the Mirasol pepper puree from scratch!

The aroma of this chowder is heavenly.  And I opted for a seafood stock (rather than using chicken broth) from Bar Harbor Foods.  I appreciated that it was all-natural…and at over $4.00 for a 2-cup can it better be great, right?  I needed 2 cans to get 3 cups of stock for the recipe. (and it was fantastic, by the way).

Given I splurged a bit on the stock, I opted to choose the local store brand version of basmati (long-grain) rice, rather than the pricier Texmati brand I’ve used prior.  I don’t have a lot of rice typically in my pantry save for the type suited for risotto.

And…I chose sole fillets for the fish.  I was surprised at how they broke up into tiny pieces after adding to the chowder, even after cutting into large pieces and stirring gently.  I’m not sure if that’s because they were sole (vs. another type of white fish) or not. 

I breathed a sigh of relief when it was time to add the cheese and milk to the chowder.  The recipe was turning into more like a super thick stew at this point than a soup/chowder in the making.  I was sooo tempted to add more water or a splash of stock or white wine meanwhile, but I’m glad I didn’t.

I sliced the potatoes less than an inch thick.  And as they were cooking I ended up cutting them with my stirring spatula into smaller pieces.  I like the idea of adding slices to each soup plate for serving, but in my case they were not cooking through thoroughly in thick slices.

And…the cheese.  Either I spaced it or the grocery store did not have goat cheese (Chevre), so I sprung for some gorgonzola.  This actually added a nice tang and punch to the chowder without overpowering it.

Here’s the author’s notes on this recipe: “There is nothing better than a bowl of chupe on a cold winter night.  I especially like this variation from Peru because it is flavored with hot peppers and, instead of peas, it uses fava beans.  This chowder can be made with either fish or shrimp, or a mixture of both.  Peruvians always add eggs before serving.  They either stir in the lightly beaten eggs or put one poached egg in each soup plate and pour the soup on top.  This is a hearty soup that can be used as a main course for a light supper.”

Buon appetito!

From The South American Table, by Maria Baez Kijac.

Small Appliances 2; fivenineteen 1/2

18 Monday Jun 2012

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No, not quite a zero because my plan B small appliance worked…but…oh anyway let me back up here a minute.

What was going to be a relaxing afternoon of cooking to top off a wonderful 4-day weekend (wow, I love my job, but I really needed a little time off!) turned into a brow-furrowing series of setbacks and challenges.  But sometimes that happens with cooking, right?  And trying new recipes?  Sometimes it doesn’t go so great.  BUT the end result…an intriguing, delicious new big bowl of soup for a late lunch…and leftovers for later!

Here are a few ingredients for this latest soup creation in the picture.  That’s a bunch of cilantro on the far right – yum!  What was missing?  My chicken broth (in the fridge), a 1/2 lb of shrimp (safely tucked in the fridge too)…and…an onion.  Which was nowhere to be found.  Ew…all I had was half of a leftover onion in a Tupperware in the back of the fridge, covered in mold.  To the trash it goes! 

So I had to go back to a grocery store AGAIN for just onions.  Earlier this morning I made a run to our local Metropolitan Market.  How I ADORE this grocery store!  Everything is absolutely exquisite all the time.  The place pulses with happiness…and some of the friendliest workers I’ve ever encountered.  So helpful!  I picked up the fresh shrimp this morning, wrapped up and handed to me over the counter with a big smile from the seafood guy, and even found that darn ol’ Lapang Souchong tea I was grumbling about for the marinade for yesterday’s food experiment.  Aha!  And I swung by the cheese section and tried a sample of a mouth-watering English cheddar with mustard seeds.  Amazing.  But when I got home and realized I didn’t have any onions, I just made a quick hop to the Albertson’s down the street from me.  They’re a foolproof store for cheap basics, not specialty items. 

I carefully read the recipe all the way through like the good budding amateur chef I strive to be.  I knew the soup base would be an onion, garlic and tomato puree, and for that I’d need to go grab the big Cuisinart off the top shelf in my pantry.  For some reason I decided to make sure it was working properly before I started putting chopped food in it.  And I’m so glad I did.

I could NOT get the upper lid and feed tube section to latch on properly to the main bowl. So obviously it wouldn’t run, for safety reasons.  This was killing me!  My beloved Cuisinart…I’ve had her probably 15 or more years. I don’t use it all the time, but when you need one, you need one.  It looks like there is a tiny plastic piece that should engage with the bowl to lock it that is slightly bent or warped.  It probably got bent or warped in the dishwasher (note to self…hand wash Cuisinart parts from now on).  ARGH.  I am hoping the nice people at Cuisinart will be able to provide some spare parts online; I would hate to have to drop major bucks on a new one for something as small as a tiny, bent plastic part!

So I was relieved I’d discovered this problem before filling the bowl with the ingredients.  On to Plan B…the (Cuisinart) stainless steel blender. 

Which leaks.  I have no freaking idea why but this has been a constant problem too.  Not a lot, but just enough to be annoying, no matter how tightly I screw on the blender to the base.  I know to keep a spare towel nearby when I’m done blending.

But, on the good side, the blender was working so I was able to make this soup and savor a bowl this afternoon.  This is probably the most unusual combination of ingredients (coconut milk and Worcestershire sauce? Combined?) and preparation method, which made it so intriguing.

Crema de Coco con Camarones (cream of coconut soup with shrimp).  Serves 4

  • 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium-sized ripe but firm tomato (5-6 oz), chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 8 oz medium-sized shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup well-stirred canned, unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 T cornstarch or potato starch, mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 thin lemon slices for garnish
  • Minced fresh mint and cilantro leaves for garnish

Place the onion, garlic and tomato in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding a bit of the chicken broth.  Add the rest of the chicken broth and process for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth.  Pass the puree through a medium-mesh sieve.  Put half of the shrimp in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding a bit of the chicken broth puree as necessary.

In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the remaining chicken broth puree and the shrimp puree and mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the Worcestershire, dry mustard, cayenne and the coconut milk and bring back to a boil.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly.  Add the rest of the shrimp and cook until the shrimp turn pink and begin to curl, about 1 minute.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve in soup bowls, garnished with a lemon slice and the mint and cilantro.

Fivenineteen notes:  Don’t freak out about the coconut milk if you’re not a coconut fan.  This is not sweet like the shredded coconut you see on desserts.  It’s a rich, savory and nutritious compliment to the shrimp – the flavors combined are incredible (and it won’t taste “coconut-y,” trust me).  I would add more than a pinch of cayenne pepper – I prefer my soups a bit spicy.   It also seemed a bit of a shame that so much of that chicken stock used in the pureeing process went down the drain after straining through the sieve. I’m not sure why so much was needed – perhaps to infuse the puree with chicken flavor?  Next time I will use cheaper, canned stock rather than my pricier organic stock for this purpose.  I also put a tiny touch of olive oil in my saucepan after heating it, before adding the puree.  It just ‘feels’ better to me when there is a bit of olive oil in a soup recipe (or just about anything else actually).  I also purchased pre-cooked shrimp so they did not require much cooking time to heat through.  If you do this, do not overcook the shrimp as they will get tough.  This is a rich and filling soup…enjoy!

Here’s the author’s description: “There are many versions of shrimp soup throughout South America.  Where there was a large concentration of Africans, such as on the coast of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and northern Brazil, this soup was made with coconut milk, as in this version.”

Buon appetito!

From The South American Table, by Maria Baez Kijac.

The World in a Bowl…or the Joy of Soup

27 Sunday May 2012

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I’ve been in deep, gooey love with soup since, well, as long as I can remember.  Back in the day as a kid my Mom served up good ol’ Campbell’s canned soup for lunch quite a bit – chicken noodle, tomato, split pea – and I braved those awful MSG-laden headaches in the aftermath every time.

And I have wonderful memories of digging razor clams with my family at our summer house on the Long Beach peninsula (in Ocean Park, WA).  Mom and Grandma would make clam chowder from scratch…and those clams couldn’t have been any fresher!  I remember putting buckets and buckets of clams down in the beach house basement, covered in cold salt water.  The clams would “clean” themselves (meaning, get rid of a lot of the sand and debris on their own), saving a little time when it came to make the chowder.  I devoured bowls of it I’m sure.  I can still taste it as I write today.  [Side note:  a sign of a great clam chowder is one that’s heavy on the clams, not the ‘filler’ stuff like potatoes.]

Every once in awhile Mom would whip up a huge pot of Cioppino or Bouillabaisse.  I’d come home to those heavenly scents of seafoods and spices simmering joyously in the kitchen…such a luxurious treat! 

Today, cooking soup from scratch is one of my passions.  Save for a few very heavy stew-like soups, I love making hot soup year ’round.  Sure, a nice, cool gazpacho (with a tiny touch of hot sauce) is a perfect, light dinner in warm weather, but hot, spicy soup – interestingly enough – helps me cool down when the temperatures climb.  We don’t have to worry too much about super hot weather in the Seattle area actually.  And I guess what you consider to be “hot weather” is all relative.

It was time to blow the dust off a cookbook I have not used in quite some time, and as I stared at the row of cookbooks on my kitchen counter, this one jumped right out in a ‘pick me, pick me’ fashion:  The South American Table, by Maria Baez Kijac.  This is much, much more than a cookbook.  It’s pretty much a short history of the continent – its mind-blowing diversity of climate and cultures.  And if you’re a geography buff like I am, the introductory chapters of this book will sing to you.

The continent is far larger and more diverse than many of us might imagine.  As Kijac explains, “…it is also farther east than most think – the west coast of South America actually lies almost due south of the U.S. East Coast.  Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth, with some parts going as long as 20 years without rain.  On the other hand, Choco, in western Colombia, has some of the world’s wettest weather.  Patagonia, in southern Argentina, has glaciers and snowy, wind-swept peaks, while the Amazon region is famous for its lush, tropical rain forest.  The Andes, one of the planet’s great mountain ranges, are mostly volcanic.”

From the northern regions on the Caribbean sea, to the far south along the icy waters surrounding Antarctica, the diversity of this continent is astonishing!  And this has tremendous impact upon plants, animals, civilizations and cuisine in every region. 

As you might imagine, it was hard to pick just one new recipe to try.  There are 26 recipes in just the soup section alone!  I hit the jackpot with this one…Caldillo de Congrio a la Neruda (Neruda’s Fish soup).

Serves 6 to 8 (requires some pre-preparation and marinating)

  • 2 pounds Chilean congrio filets (1 1/2 – 2″ thick) or other firm white-fleshed fish such as Chilean sea bass, red snapper or halibut
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 4 oz jar pimento strips, drained
  • 1 T chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper
  • 1 16 oz can pear-shaped tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 1 C dry white wine or dry sherry
  • 3 C water
  • 1 C milk
  • 6 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes, peeled, quartered and cooked in water to cover until tender, and drained
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 C whipping cream (optional)
  • 1/4 C minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 C finely chopped scallions (white part and 1″ of green) for garnish

Cut the fish filets into 2 to 3″ pieces.  Sprinkle with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. 

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large casserole over low heat.  Add the onions and paprika, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.  Do not let brown.  Stir in the garlic paste, carrots, pimentos, bouillon, bay leaf, sugar, marjoram and hot pepper sauce and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.  Add the tomatoes, wine and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.  The soup base can be made ahead up to this point.  Let cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

To finish, bring the soup to a boil over medium heat and add the milk, fish and potatoes.  Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Just before serving, add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and begin to uncurl, about 1 minute.  Add cream, if using, and heat through.  Taste for salt, pepper and sugar.

Serve in soup plates, sprinkled with parsley and scallions.

Fivenineteen notes:  There is a fair amount of prep work with chopping and peeling.  Please don’t be discouraged by this; the flavors in this soup are mind-blowing.  I opted to first cut up the fish and put it in a large, glass Pyrex bowl to marinate while I prepped the rest of the ingredients.  I quartered a lemon, squeezed each onto the fish pieces, sprinkled a little salt and pepper on them and covered and placed in the fridge.

Congrio is an indigenous fish from the coast of Chile.  Sadly it is not available in the States, but a Chilean sea bass, red snapper or halibut are good substitutes.  At the grocery store, the halibut was $17/lb…and the cod filets were $9/lb.  Given I needed 2 lbs, I opted for the cod and it turned out great.

As I often post in here about spices, it’s extremely important your dried spices are pungent.  Do the smell test prior to adding to your cooking – actually before you go grocery shopping.  If they’re not pungent, throw them out and get replacements.  I cannot emphasize this enough!  Don’t sabotage the true essence of all of your recipe’s flavors by thwarting it with old, wimpy spices!

Tomatoes:  I used a 14.5 oz can of pre-chopped tomatoes instead of purchasing canned pear tomatoes and chopping them myself.  Given there was a lot of other chopping and peeling with this recipe it was a nice timesaver.  Be sure to drain the tomatoes in a small strainer to remove excess liquid (same with the pimentoes too).  Shake the strainer several times to make sure you squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Potatoes:  the recipe calls for 6; I opted to go with 3 medium to large size.  I cut them into smaller pieces (rather than just quartering) before putting in water to cook slightly.  If you are truly making this to serve 6 to 8 I would probably stick with the full amount of 6 potatoes.

Adding whipping cream:  this is a completely optional step.  I chose to do so to give the broth more of a chowder-y feel, a bit richer than the fish broth on its own.  Either way, the flavors are incredible.

The author always includes a couple of introductory paragraphs describing each recipe – personal memories, or interesting facts about the region each dish comes from.   I am so impressed with this cookbook – you can tell the author has poured her heart and soul into every single page.  Fantastic!

She explains:  “This famous Chilean soup was immortalized by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, well-known for his love of good food and a ‘happy table.’  In his poem ‘Oda al Caldillo de Congrio’ (Ode to Congrio Soup), he sings the praises of this delicious soup.  The just-married flavors of the earth and sea come to the table so that some lucky people can be introduced to heaven…”

Yep, that’s how good it is.  Enjoy!