SERVES 8 – 10
This hearty soup, high in protein from the fish, also packs a wallop from the beta-carotene found in the vegetables. It is from Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, the formidable chef and author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy.
12 ounces monkfish fillet (silver skin removed)
8 ounces sea scallops, preferably “dry” (not soaked in preservatives)
1 pound large shrimp
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
5 plump garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
¼ teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
½ teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
6 quarts (24 cups) cold water
1 pound Swiss chard, sliced in ½-inch shreds
Slice the monkfish into ½-inch chunks. Pull off the side muscle or “foot” from the scallops and discard. Remove the shells, tails, and digestive veins from the shrimp; rinse them and pat dry.
Pour the olive oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or soup pot and set it over medium heat. Scatter in the onions, garlic, and peperoncino and season with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and slightly caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes, then stir in the diced peppers and cook another 3 minutes or so, until the peppers are tender.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, raise the heat a bit, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have dried out, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the water and the remaining tablespoon salt, stir well, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook, covered, for an hour; then stir in the Swiss chard shreds. Return the broth to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the chard is very tender and the broth has reduced to 4 quarts (16 cups).
To finish the soup: add the chunks of monkfish to the simmering broth, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Drop in the scallops, stir, and simmer for 7 more minutes. Add the shrimp, return the broth to a bubbling simmer, and cook for a minute or two, just until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve immediately in warm shallow soup bowls.
| Nutritional Profile | |
| Serving size: 2 cups | |
|---|---|
| Calories: | 333 |
| Protein: | 47 g |
| Fiber: | 3 g |
| Fat: | 10 g |
| Saturated fat: | 2 g |
| Sodium: | 1,242 mg |
| Vitamin A: | 8,538 IU |
| Vitamin C: | 25 mg |
| Vitamin D: | 202 IU |
| Vitamin E: | 4 IU |
| Zinc: | 2 mg |
| Beta-carotene: | 4,999 µg |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin: | 5,545 µg |
| Omega-3 fatty acids: | 1 g |
“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”
— Michael Pollan