Entree: Honduras – Northern Culinary Region – Sopa Marinera (Honduran mixed-seafood soup simmered in a tomato and aromatic broth with rice and fresh herbs)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

Total 40 min

Ingredients

- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz/400 g) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups (1.4 L) fish or seafood stock
- 1/2 cup (100 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 lb (454 g) firm white fish (such as snapper or tilapia), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, approx. 12 oz (340 g)
- 1 lb (454 g) mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
2. Stir in the diced tomatoes, stock, rice, cumin, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 12–15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the fish pieces and shrimp to the pot, simmer gently for 3–4 minutes. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until the mussels open and the shrimp are opaque, about 4–6 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.
4. Remove from heat, stir in chopped cilantro, and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with lime wedges for squeezing over each bowl.