Sopi di Pisca (Sopi di pisca)
Overview
Sopi di pisca is the fish soup of Aruba, also called sopi di playa, beach soup. Chunks of red snapper, grouper or another firm local fish, often with the head for flavour, are cleaned with lime juice. Onion, garlic, sweet pepper and celery are softened in butter or oil, then covered with water and fish stock and cooked with cubes of potato, carrot and short pieces of corn on the cob. A whole Madame Jeanette pepper gives fragrance and heat. The fish and a handful of vermicelli go in near the end, and a little tomato paste and turmeric give the broth a golden colour. It is eaten with funchi, a firm cornmeal side, or pan bati, a thick cornmeal pancake.
History
Fish is central to the cooking of Aruba, an island where Latin American, African and European influences meet, and the Aruban government and the island's culture department both list sopi di pisca among the traditional Aruban dishes. It is also made on Curaçao and Bonaire, and many Arubans eat it during Lent, when meals turn to seafood.
Main ingredients
Red snapper or grouper, potatoes, corn on the cob, carrots, vermicelli, madame jeanette pepper. The soup is built on golden fish and vegetable broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Potato soups · Noodle soups · Corn soups
Recipe
Method
- 1
Rinse the fish in water with the lime juice and drain.
- 2
Soften the onion, garlic, sweet pepper and celery in the butter.
- 315 min
Add the water, stock cube, potatoes, carrots, corn and whole pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 47 min
Add the fish and vermicelli and cook for 7 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and turmeric, season and serve with funchi or pan bati.
- ✓
Serve. About 1 h from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
