Zuppa di Pesce

Another vat of soup. I needed soup after last night’s dinner. I ate too much and felt it. It’s amazing that we used to actually eat more than that – and then have a huge dessert. Every night. I’m really glad those days are behind us – and that if we do overeat – we know and feel it. I also learned the volume of those little pie plates. They’re deceiving – they look small – but there’s not a container in the world I couldn’t overfill if given half a chance. I know how much to put in next time I use them.

Learning experience.

I got the idea for tonight’s soup from the NY Times food section. Of course, what I read and what I made are pretty much polar opposites, but the idea came from Martha Rose Shulman.

It’s another clean-out-the-‘fridge dish. This is what was here when the stars aligned. Next time it will probably be very different. That’s the beauty of soups.

The amounts are pretty much estimates – there’s no real reason to be exact with any of this. I used mahi mahi and shrimp, but any fish will do.

Zuppa di Pesce

  • 4 oz pancetta, diced
  • 2 anchovies, minced
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup carrot, diced
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup radishes, diced
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 4 cups clam juice
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes in juice
  • 8 oz small potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 6 oz baby spinach
  • 8 oz shrimp
  • 8 oz mahi mahi
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • hefty pinch crushed red pepper
  • salt & pepper, to taste

In a soup pot, brown pancetta. Add anchovies and stir. Add onion, leek, garlic, celery, carrot, peppers, and radishes. Cook until vegetables begin to wilt. Add a pinch of salt & pepper.

Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Add the clam juice and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the seasonings, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add potatoes and simmer until 99% done. Stir in spinach and cook down about 2 minutes.

Stir in fish and cook just until done – a minute or two more.

Check seasonings and add more S&P, as desired.

It looks like a lot of ingredients but it really is a clean-out-the-‘fridge meal. Add or subtract things, as you have them.

It’s soup. You can’t mess it up!