Bowl of Guatemalan Seafood Soup
(click to enlarge)

Seafood Soup


Guatemala   -   Caldo de Mariscos
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 10 cups
***
2 hrs
Part		 In Guatemala, what goes into this soup is highly variable, and can be impractical here in Southern California. For details see Serving.

1-1/4
1-1/2
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5
5
4
7
1
4
1/3
1/3
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1
3
3
3
1/2
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2
4
4
1/4
1/4
1
1/3
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ar
#
#
---
oz
oz
oz
oz
cl

c
c
---
T
T


t
---
T
oz
c
c
c
t
t
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Fish (1)
Shellfish (2)
-- Sofrito Purée
Shallots (3)
Leeks
Bell Pepper, red  
Tomatoes
Garlic
Thai Chilis
Cilantro Stems
Parsley Stems
-- Seasonings
Annatto (4)
Water
Bay Leaf
Thyme sprigs
Oregano, dry
--------------
Olive Oil, ExtV
Tomatoes
Fish Broth (5)
Fish Sauce (6)
Lime Juice
Salt
Pepper
-- Garnish
Cilantro
Do Ahead   -   (2 hrs or more)
  1. Prepare FISH as needed, and produce FISH BROTH. See Do Ahead for more options.
Prep   -   (1-1/3 hrs)
  1. Scald 13 oz of TOMATOES (enough for both uses) one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Cut 1/3 of them into about 1/2 inch chunks and set aside. The rest to go into the Sofrito.
  2. Chop all SOFRITO items medium. Run in a Food Processor or Mixie until quite fine.
  3. Grind ANNATTO in your spice grinder. Mix with water and set aside.
  4. Thaw all FROZEN SHELLFISH. Peel SHRIMP if needed. Cut SQUID as desired. Mix all.
  5. Cut FISH into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks.
  6. Mix all SEASONING items.
  7. Squeeze LIME JUICE.
  8. Chop CILANTRO small for Garnish.
Run   -   (20 minutes)
  1. In a heavy bottomed pot (4 quart), heat Oil over medium flame. Stir in Sofrito and Seasoning items. Fry stirring until aromatic, around 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in Tomatoes, Fish Sauce, Salt, and Pepper.
  3. Stir in Broth and bring to a boil. Stir in Fish and any Shell-on Mollusks (if using), Cook until shells open and fish is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
  4. On highest heat, stir in Shellfish mix. Cook only until Shrimp are pink - everything is done even before it's back to a boil. Stir in Lime Juice and take off the heat.
  5. Serve hot, garnished with Cilantro, and with Lime Wedges on the side. Steamed Thai Jasmine Rice will go well with this - set out a bowl to be spooned into soup bowls as desired.
NOTES:

  1. Fish:

      My favorite fish for recipes like this is Golden Pompano. It's a tasty fish, holds together well in soups and stews, can be used skin-on, has no scales, is easy to fillet, and produces a very good fish broth or stock. Another I favor is Amberjack, also used skin-on. See our Varieties of Fish (very big page) for other fish. If you are new to dealing with whole fish, see our Cleaning & Filleting Round Bodied Fish.

  2. Shellfish, Mixed

      This might seem like a lot, but they shrink a lot in cooking. Officially, the shellfish used are whatever is available at the time. Conditions given in this recipe departs significantly from most Guatemalan recipes - see Serving. I get all my Fish and Shellfish from a large Asian market in Los Angeles (San Gabriel) where I can get everything in one place. Shellfish that I commonly use (at least 4 at a time) are:
          Shrimp             (always)
          Clam meat       frozen
          Mussel meat     frozen
          Squid               rings or fancier cuts.
          Octopus, baby
          Periwinkle       frozen meat
    Squid is most easily procured as frozen Squid Rings, but other forms can be used as well. The photo example used a fancier cut purchased from a large Asian market.

  3. Shallots:

      Onions could also be used.

  4. Annatto:

      [Achiote]   A commonly used coloring in Latin cuisines, so easily available. See our Achiote / Annatto page.

  5. Fish Broth:

      I start with whole fish and make stock from the heads, bones and fins, usually days ahead and freeze the fillets until needed. The broth can be made even weeks ahead if properly stored - see our Making Fish Stock page. If you don't have fish stock you can substitute Clam Juice and Water in equal amounts.

  6. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisines as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce Introduction page.   Note: some recipes allow, lacking fish sauce, to use Anchovy Fillets. This is not at all the same. Get the Fish Sauce.

  7. Serving:

      Nearly all Guatemalan recipes for this soup are piled high with shell-on clams and mussels, shell on shrimp and crabs, and whole small fish or large chinks of medium size fish. This is a spectacle, fine for fancy restaurants or an intimate dinner, but costly and difficult to get together here in Southern California. It is also very impractical for buffet service, or at the family table (who gets what pieces). You can include as much shell-on as appropriate for your targeted use.

  8. Do Ahead:

      This recipe can be made even a day ahead, up to adding the Fish. The final steps should be made close to serving time. For buffet service, once the Shellfish mix is just cooked, I pour into a slow cooker set to "Keep Warm". The Cilantro, I just stir in. If you have to reheat a completed soup, take it up to only 165°F/75°C. That's hot enough to kill any bacteria, but minimizes how much the shellfish shrink.
  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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