RECIPE: “Fosforera” Venezuelan Soup

Originally from Venezuela, British Colonial Hilton Nassau’s executive chef, Janeth Rodriguez, is no stranger to Caribbean flavors and dishes with a spicy kick. “Fosforera” Venezuelan soup is a Caribbean dish from the island of Margarita, Venezuela rich in phosphorus, hence its Spanish name. The popular coastal Venezuelan regional dish is a fusion of sea flavors and local ingredients, and is often referred to as aphrodisiac due to the wide variety of seafood mixed in. For Chef Rodriguez, an important step in incorporating cultural dishes into her menu is knowing what people like to eat in the region. “For example, here in the Bahamas, people love spicy seafood,” said Chef Rodriguez. “That is why our matchbox has a touch of goat pepper to captivate the local palates.”

INGREDIENTS

1 Celery Stalk

• 1 White Onion

• 4 Cloves of Garlic

• 1 Red Pepper

• 1/2 Leek Stalk

• 2 Venezuelan Sweet Peppers

• 2 Ripe Tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste

• 1/4 ml Olive Oil

• 1 tablespoon Achiote**

• 1/4 ml White Wine

• 1 liter Fumet with Shrimp Shells

• 500 ml Octopus Stock

• 2 tablespoons Butter

• 1/2 Lime

• 0.3 lbs. Prawns

• 0.3 lbs. Squid

• 12 Clams

• 12 Mussels

• 0.3 lbs. Octopus

• 1 teaspoon Cumin

• 1 Goat Pepper

• Salt and pepper to taste
• **Achiote: Red seeds of a flower. It grows in Central America and Mexico and in the Andean areas that border the Amazon. The seeds make a bright red dye.

Directions

In a casserole, mix the olive oil with the achiote, then add the butter. Add the leeks, celery, garlic, sweet pepper (aj. dulce), tomatoes and brunoise chopped onion. Next, add the cumin and tomato paste. Add the white wine and stir until the alcohol evaporates. Then, add the fumet and octopus broth. When it begins to boil, add the shellfish. Note: the octopus must be cooked before adding to the soup. Add the juice of half a lime. Finally, add salt and pepper, cilantro and goat pepper to taste.