Summer Fish Tea

By Ashley Lonsdale

Published July 30, 2024

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(63)
Comments
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Fish tea is an endlessly flexible soup recipe found across the Caribbean, consisting of fish, starchy vegetables like pumpkin and yellow yam, and seasonings, which can all vary depending on the cook. Some prepare it with a helpful packet labeled "fish tea flavored soup mix," while others prefer making it from scratch with fresh fish heads. This weeknight version lands somewhere in the middle, showcasing tender-crisp summer vegetables like corn and green beans in a delicate broth scented with ginger, allspice and juicy hunks of snapper. If Scotch bonnet chiles are unavailable, habanero will work. Making a small puncture in the whole pepper will allow some heat to permeate the broth, but not an overwhelming amount. For a spicier soup, make a larger incision. To make this soup preparation even faster, you can cut the vegetables for the soup while the broth simmers.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 whole (1 ½-pound) snapper or 1 pound snapper fillets, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered

  • 8 thyme sprigs

  • 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, scrubbed and sliced

  • 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries 

  • 2 fresh or dried bay leaves

  • 3 ears corn, kernels cut off, cobs reserved

  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero chile

  • 6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks

  • 12 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced

  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

31 grams carbs; 13 milligrams cholesterol; 172 calories; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 589 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season the snapper generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  2. Step 2

    In a large pot, combine the onion, thyme, ginger, allspice, bay leaves and naked cobs. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. If using a whole fish, add it to the water and return to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is perfumed and the fish, if using, is just opaque throughout.

  3. Step 3

    Carefully transfer the fish to a plate. Strain the broth through a sieve and return to the pot or remove the aromatics with a mesh strainer. Season the broth generously with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Make a small incision in the Scotch bonnet to allow some spice to permeate the broth. Add the corn, green beans, carrots, potatoes and the Scotch bonnet to the seasoned broth, return to a simmer and cook on low, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. If you used a whole fish, remove the fillets and reserve, discarding the head, tail and bones.

  5. Step 5

    If using raw snapper fillets, add to the soup and poach uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes, until just cooked through. If using cooked fillets, heat through in the soup for 1 minute. Remove the Scotch bonnet and stir in the scallions.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
63 user ratings
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Comments

Inez

I made this as a surprise for my Jamaican husband and 1st thing he said when he tasted it was "Oh! You made fish tea." I couldn't find whole snapper so I used whole Paloma as the head is the whole point. It is also known as fish head soup. It was very good with the Paloma and I could barely tell the difference.

dimmerswitch

Allison - you ask if fish other than red snapper works here. It does. You want a lean, meaty white fish, not a rich oily one (like salmon for example). Some of the fish sold in the US as snapper really is rockfish and rockfish would work here. Also fish like cod or lingcod or grouper. I think you could also use halibut or seabass but those would up the cost of making the dish.

VicinNY

What is paloma? Where is it available? And, would fish filets such as hake also work?

Jangs

Used veg stock (as fresh out of corn cobs)plus extra water and made a sachet of cloves cinnamon stick and nutmeg(closest to spiceberries?)Threw in loads of thyme from my pots. Used defrosted snapper filets from Wegmans cut into cubes. Added garlic with the ginger by mistake but good idea actually. Dropped a habanera in with a small puncture Forgot the potatoes til the last second so par boiled those on the side and added to the strained broth which was chock full of corn, carrots and green beans and snapper and absolutely delish. Yum! Hope to make it faithfully following the recipe next time!

SSR

I made this in the Instant Pot today— helps keep the kitchen cooler. Did the broth 15 minutes high pressure, natural release. Strained the broth. Added the veggies and did 3 minutes high pressure, quick release. Then set it to sauté, added 2 pounds raw snapper fillets, and poached for about 4-5 minutes. Came out great!

Patrick

Great Dish! Super easy light dinner. We used Walleye as we always have a freezer full.

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