Spicy Fish and Potato Soup

Name: Spicy Fish and Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 onions, chopped; 3 stalks celery, chopped; Kosher salt; 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups water; 3/4 cup clam juice; 1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 4 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper; 1 1/2 pounds skinless cod or hake fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces; 3 scallions, thinly sliced; to taste Chopped fresh parsley, for topping; to taste Freshly ground black pepper

Recipe GLPRe9cdbd7583286b

Caribbean

Soup

40 min

498 cal

Servings: 4

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A warming seafood soup with tender potatoes, flaky white fish, and a subtle heat from a whole Scotch bonnet pepper. The rich broth combines chicken stock and clam juice for depth, finished with fresh scallions and parsley.

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Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

Kosher salt

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

3/4 cup clam juice

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper

1 1/2 pounds skinless cod or hake fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 scallions, thinly sliced

to taste Chopped fresh parsley, for topping

to taste Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, celery, and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, approximately 7 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth, water, and clam juice. Add the potato chunks and bay leaves. Using a small paring knife, make an X-shaped cut in the bottom of the Scotch bonnet pepper to expose some of the seeds, then carefully add the whole pepper to the pot. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 13 to 15 minutes.
Season the cod pieces lightly with kosher salt. Add them to the simmering soup and cook until the fish just begins to flake when tested with a fork, approximately 5 minutes. Do not overcook.
Remove and discard the Scotch bonnet pepper and bay leaves. Stir in the sliced scallions.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Cod and potato are reliable finds at any Charlotte grocer, but clam juice requires a deliberate stop—Harris Teeter stocks it, but Food Lion and Walmart carry it inconsistently, making this a two-store errand on a weeknight. At roughly $12–14 for four servings (clam juice and fresh cod drive the cost), it lands at $3–3.50 per bowl, which is fair for seafood soup but not budget-friendly. The 40-minute claim is honest if you cut your potato into small dice; the real catch is the scotch bonnet pepper—a Carolina grocery staple at Harris Teeter or ALDI, but worth confirming you have before you shop. This is a serious weeknight soup that reheats beautifully and feeds four without fussiness, perfect for someone willing to plan ahead for clam juice and comfortable with heat.