Chilean Conger Eel Stew (Caldillo de Congrio)
Caldillo de congrio Say it: kal-DEE-yoh deh KOHN-gree-oh
Caldillo de congrio is Chile's most beloved fish soup, a one-pot stew of conger eel poached in a broth of onion, tomato, garlic and white wine with potatoes and carrot. It is eaten all along the country's long coast, from market kitchens in Valparaíso to family tables in the south, and it is the dish Pablo Neruda hymned in an ode. The broth is savoury and faintly sweet from the tomatoes, the eel firm and gelatinous, and the whole thing is mopped up with bread.
Chilean Conger Eel Stew (Caldillo de Congrio)
Caldillo de congrio
Pronounced kal-DEE-yoh deh KOHN-gree-oh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
To finish
Method
Pat the conger steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. If the fishmonger has not done it, pull off the dark skin, which is tough, and cut the flesh into 2-inch (5 cm) steaks.
Warm the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano and bay leaf and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture darkens and thickens into a jammy sofrito.
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the sharp alcohol smell is gone.
Add the stock, potatoes and carrot, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender when pierced with a knife.
Lower the heat and nestle the fish steaks into the broth in a single layer, adding a splash of hot water if they are not quite covered. Simmer very gently for 8-10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes when pressed with a fork.
Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parsley and cilantro, taste for salt, and let it stand 5 minutes. Serve in wide bowls with broth, potato and a piece of fish in each.
Regional variants
Some cooks stir a splash of cream or evaporated milk into the broth at the end for a silkier result, and in the south a little merkén or chopped ají replaces the sweet paprika for heat.
Cook's notes
- Keep the broth barely bubbling once the fish goes in; a hard boil breaks the steaks apart and clouds the liquid.
- Conger eel is firm and gelatinous and holds its shape well; monkfish is the closest substitute, while hake or cod work but need 2-3 minutes less cooking.
- The stew tastes even better a few hours later, so it is a good candidate for a gentle reheat.
Serve with
Crusty marraqueta or pan amasado bread, a simple green salad and a chilled Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.
Make ahead and storage
Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat gently on low heat with a little water, without letting it boil.
