Baccala soup is a delicious Mediterranean style seafood soup using salt cod (bacalao) and as many shellfish as you desire to make it your own special meal.
Baccala Soup
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
My recipe of the day is for Baccala soup, which I am posting with Fish Friday Foodies. I had meant to post this one in December for Feast of the Seven Fishes but RL got in the way (as happens sometimes, as we are real people).
I really adored this served with glasses of wine and chunks of crusty buttered French bread. It truly was a feast.
This uses salt cod (bacalao) which needs to be soaked in water for a bit or it is just too salty and a bit unpleasant. Once it is soaked thoroughly, it is fine. Just keep it in water inside a zippy inside a bowl in the fridge and change the water twice a day and it is very easy.
Clams are also not a problem- I ask you to soak those for an hour to spit grit. I actually just do it changing the water until I don’t see grit, which may take more or less time, depending. Clams don’t mind bathing in a bowl of water for several hours if needed- they don’t spoil since they are still alive.
Of course, if they don’t open after cooking, they are kerput and you should not eat those.
The calabrian chiles are a little bit spicy but very delicious. I know it’s a Bobby Flay thing, but let’s not let him have all of those. Of course, if you can’t find them, just make do with a pinch of dried chili flakes.
This soup is very forgiving- even though baccala is mostly about the fish, you can add and subtract all you like. Even going so far as 100% fish or maybe with all shellfish. I even see Aldi carries a frozen seafood mix now that is also good- it will have various things like calamari, shrimp, mussels and scallops. All the shellfish takes very little time to cook.
Fish Friday Foodies January 2020
Mediterranean Fish & Seafood
-
- Baccala Soup from Palatable Pastime (You are Here!)
- Seafood Paella from Making Miracles
- Greek Seafood Rice from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Greek Bronzini Pan-fried Paleo Dish from Of Goats and Greens
- Linguine Pescatore from Food Lust People Love
- Moroccan Chermoula Baked Fish Fillet for One from Sneha’s Recipe
- Coquilles St Jacques from Caroline’s Cooking
- Mediterranean Shrimp from A Day in the Life on the Farm
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Baccala Soup
Baccala Soup
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 pound dried salt cod
- 1 pound large head-on shrimp
- 1-1/2 pounds littleneck clams
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 6 ounces dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound small white potatoes quartered
- 2 tablespoons chopped jarred calabrian chili peppers
- 32 ounces fish stock or clam juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch stirred into cold water
Instructions
- Soak dried cod in cold water, changing water every 12 hours, refrigerated, for 24-48 hours.
- Dice soaked cod in chunks.
- Soak clams in cold salt water for one hour or more to allow them to "spit" out sand or grit.
- Saute the onion, garlic, celery and carrots in oil until the onion softens.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine.
- Add the seasonings, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, fish stock and cod chunks.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add cornstarch with water and stir until thickened slightly.
- Add remaining seafood (drained, of course) and cook another 5-10 minutes or until clams open and shrimp become opaque and curled.
- Discard any clams that do not open.
Notes
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com
