Tapado (Seafood Soup)

2 cups fresh coconut milk -- (see recipe)
1 small onion
1 medium red bell pepper
2 pounds red snapper fillets, sea bass, or tilefish
1 pound medium shrimp
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp achiote (annatto) (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 medium banana
1 medium tomato
3 Tbsp minced cilantro leaves

PREPARATION:
Make the Coconut Milk (see recipe in this cookbook). Peel and thinly slice the onion (1/2 cup). Core, seed, and cut the bell pepper into 1/4-inch strips. Cut the fish fillets into 2-inch pieces. Peel, rinse, and devein the shrimp.

COOKING:
Heat the corn oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and red pepper and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add the Coconut Milk, oregano, achiote, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring liquid to a boil and then simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fish and the shrimp and simmer until seafood is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Peel and cut the banana into 1-inch slices. Cut the tomato into 1-inch dice (3/4 cup) and add it to the soup along with the banana. Simmer the soup until the banana and tomato are just cooked, 5 minutes. (Can cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.)

SERVING:
Reheat the soup if made in advance. Stir in the cilantro. Serves 4 to 6

NOTES: Coconut milk gives a Southeast Asian accent to this Guatemalan specialty.

The Caribbean coast of Guatemala has a wealth of fresh fish and coconuts. This dish, which frequently contains a wide variety of seafood, including squid, crab, shrimp, red snapper, sea bass, or mako shark, is an expression of this natural bounty. Achiote, also known as annatto, is a red-orange vegetable dye used to color dishes throughout Latin America.

Recipe By: Cook's Magazine September/October 1988
Posted by BrigitteJ@csi.com to rec.food.cooking on Jan 1, 1999.