Caldillo de Congrio

Name: Caldillo de Congrio
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 600g conger eel steaks (or firm white fish); 4 yellow potatoes, sliced; 2 onions, sliced into rings; 3 tomatoes, peeled and diced; 1 cup dry white wine; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp smoked paprika; Fresh cilantro and parsley; Salt, pepper; Fish stock or water

Caldillo de Congrio (kahl-DEE-yoh deh KOHN-gree-oh)

Conger Eel Chowder

⏱ Prep Time 25 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 366 kcal

A fragrant, golden chowder of conger eel simmered with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and white wine, immortalized by Pablo Neruda in his ode to the dish.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 28.0g

Carbs 32.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ fish

Equipment Needed

large pot cutting board ladle

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep earthenware bowl

Garnishes: cilantro, parsley, lemon wedge

Accompaniments: crusty bread, white wine

Ingredients

600g conger eel steaks (or firm white fish)
4 yellow potatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced into rings
3 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp smoked paprika
Fresh cilantro and parsley
Salt, pepper
Fish stock or water

Instructions

1
Sauté onion rings and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add paprika and cook 30 seconds.
2
Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and white wine. Simmer 5 min.
3
Add fish stock and sliced potatoes. Cook 15 min until potatoes are nearly tender.
4
Place conger eel steaks on top of potatoes. Cover and simmer gently 10-12 min until fish is flaky.
5
Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and parsley.
6
Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread.

💡

Did You Know?

Pablo Neruda wrote "Oda al Caldillo de Congrio" celebrating this dish, calling it "the essential broth of the sea."

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large pot
cutting board
ladle

Garnishing

cilantro, parsley, lemon wedge

Accompaniments

crusty bread, white wine

The Story Behind Caldillo de Congrio

Caldillo de congrio is Chile's most literary dish, immortalized by Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda in his famous ode. This simple fisherman's chowder from Chile's central coast transforms the humble conger eel into a golden, aromatic soup that captures the essence of the Pacific. Neruda considered it the pinnacle of Chilean coastal cooking.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch, coastal dining 📜 Origins: Colonial coastal Chile

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