FISH SOUP “ROTA STYLE” (A LA ROTEÑA)

Weekend is here and we are happy to share a very nice and delicious recipe, Fish Soup, cooked Rota style (A la Roteña).  This is a typical recipe from our city, your city, Rota.  Other traditional recipes you can find in our local gastronomy are Seabream “Rota style” (Urta a la Roteña), a special stew called Berza Roteña, Arranque Roteño (vegetable puree), and many more.  In times past, our Gastronomy, as well as our local economy, was based primarily on the sea (fish and seafood) and produce from the land (tomatoes, green peppers, pumpkin, …).  Really nice and healthy ingredients.

I can really guarantee that if you follow this recipe from my mother, the Cook, the result is going to be perfect :-) We have really enjoyed it very much and I am not exaggerating at all!  Please let us know how it turns out for you and your family!

 

And now it is time to share our recipe:

INGREDIENTS

* For the Fish Broth:

   - 1 Seabream (Urta or Pargo) Fish head

   - A few Small Rock Fish  

   - 1/2 lb. (1/4 kg.)  Shrimp

   - 1/2  lb. (1/4 kg.)  Clams

   - 1 Onion

   - 1 Green Pepper

   - 1 Tomato

   - Minced Parsley

   - Salt and Pepper

* For the Stir fry:

   - 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

   - 3 Tablespoons Homemade Fried Tomato Sauce

   - 2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

   - 1 Tablespoon Thickener (Corn Starch or Instant Mashed Potato Flakes)

   - Salt and Pepper

* A splash of dry sherry wine (Manzanilla or Fino)

* Garnish: 

   - Croutons 

   - 2 Hard Boiled Eggs

   

PREPARATION: 

* Let's start by peeling the shrimp and frying the heads and shells in a small skillet with one tablespoon of mild olive oil.

* We’ll prepare the base of the soup broth using a medium to large pot, in which we will pour 8 1/2 cups (2 L.) of water, the sautéed shrimp heads and shells, all the chopped vegetables (medium pieces), parsley, salt and pepper.  Add the rock fish and the fish head and let it boil for 30 minutes.

* We strain all the broth by using a Chinese strainer and set aside in a pot. 

* We are going to crumble the meat from the boiled rock fish and use it later to add to our soup.  

* We then proceed to prepare the stir fry.  Put the oil in a frying pan and add 3 tablespoons homemade fried tomato sauce, stir a few minutes until heated and add the flour, the corn starch or mashed potato flakes, and stir everything well.

* We will add this sauce to the pot with the fish broth, then the splash of wine, stir and add the crumbled rock fish meat, the peeled shrimp, the clams with their shells, we let it boil a few minutes and we leave aside.

* And to finish with we will prepare a few croutons (fried bread), chop the hard-boiled eggs and put them in the dishes before serving the soup.

And you will see how rich and how tasty :-)  We really hope you enjoy it as much as we did ! Have a great weekend :-)