In cooking, as in any other discipline, trends are constantly changing. Over time the best chefs constantly innovate in textures and flavours. And although this is certainly true, there are always dishes that maintain their essence intact. This is the case with seafood soup.
It’s hard for anyone to resist a good hot soup made with fresh seafood. Few recipes are as simple and provide as much satisfaction as a fish or seafood soup.
If you’re looking for a way to make seafood soup without too much trouble, you’ve come to the right place. Furthermore, we’ve reproduced the classic recipe for a homemade soup, like the ones our grandmothers used to make. Also, as you’ll see shortly, it’s a very healthy and nutritious dish that can be enjoyed all year round.
Required Ingredients
For the seafood soup (classic recipe), you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 litre of fumet
- 250 gr of mussels
- 250 gr of clams
- 500 gr of prawns or shrimp
- 1 medium leek (approximately 200 grams)
- 2 medium-sized onions
- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
- 500 gr of chopped fresh or tinned tomatoes
- 200 ml of white wine (approximately one glass)
- Toasted bread
- Olive oil
- Paprika, black pepper, and salt
In addition to these ingredients, you can vary or incorporate other types of seafood, such as cuttlefish or squid. It’s also possible to turn this recipe into a fish and seafood soup by adding, for example, some monkfish fillets.
The seafood should be as fresh as possible, purchased at fish markets or fishmongers that guarantee high quality products.
Let’s now move on to the preparation of the soup. If you follow our recipe, you’ll have it ready in about 45 minutes.
Steps to Prepare an Exquisite Seafood Soup
Before we begin, we must make it clear that a prior preparation of the fumet is required. As we mentioned in another article, it’s a good idea to always have fumet ready prepared for your recipes.
There is a brief summary in step 0, but you can skip it if you already have the fumet prepared in advance.
Step 0: Preparation of the Fish and Seafood fumet
We create a basic broth using the heads and shells of the prawns, along with skins, bones, and heads of other fish. After adding vegetables like leek or carrot and adding a touch of brandy and white wine, we will achieve an exquisite broth.
It is important to strain everything well after cooking and freeze what will not be used. For this recipe, we will need one litre of seafood fumet.
Step 1: Prepare the Mussels and the Clams
Both mussels and clams need to be washed thoroughly to remove any traces of dirt. It’s best to soak them in salt water for about half an hour.
Once washed under the tap, place them in a pot with a thin layer of water and white wine. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the mussels and clams open on their own.
Step 2: Sear the Prawns or Shrimp
Now it’s time to place the meat of the peeled prawns or shrimp, if applicable, in a pan with a bit of oil. Keep them in the pan for a couple of minutes until they are golden brown, and then set them aside.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables
In the same pan with a bit more olive oil, sauté all the finely chopped vegetables. It’s better to start with leek, onion, and garlic. Once these ingredients are cooked down, add the finely chopped tomato along with the paprika.
Work this mixture until it has a good consistency and is slightly golden.
Step 4: Incorporate the fumet and toasted bread
Now it’s time to pour the sautéed mixture into a pot where the litre of fumet and the toasted bread will also be. Fifty grammes of bread is enough, as its presence serves to give an extra flavour and texture to the soup.
Step 5: Blend Everything Together Without the Seafood
This step is optional as some people prefer the soup to have less consistency. Select 1/3 of the prawns, clams, and mussels without shells and put them in the pot. It’s time to blend everything well with the help of a hand held blender.
Let the resulting mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, aiming to harmonize the flavours and ensuring the dish is piping hot.
Step 6: Add the Remaining Seafood and Serve
Once the soup is ready, season to taste and serve it among the diners’ plates.
Next, add the remaining 2/3 of the seafood to each plate, that is, the prawns along with the mussels and clams, which can be left with their shells on if preferred.
Step 7: Enjoy Every Spoonful
If you’ve followed all the steps carefully and have put in the necessary care, you’ll have a seafood soup that everyone will appreciate. Healthy, flavourful, and packed with all the nutrients from the fish.
As you can see, preparing an exquisite seafood soup doesn’t seem complicated. The key is to always use fresh, good quality ingredients. Do you want to enjoy the best fish and seafood in Barcelona? Come and visit us at Chao Pescao. We’ll prepare you a delicious seafood feast with the utmost care, as well as all the fish you can choose, fresh from the fish market to your table.
