"Sòpi di Piska" (fish soup) Sauté the first 12 vegetables and seasonings in the oil until tender. Transfer to a large pot, add water and bring to a boil, then add fish and potato, cook awhile until potato is tender - debone fish and return to soup. Serves 6.


    "Sòpito" (coconut-fish soup) To make coconut milk:

Grate 4 cups fresh coconut, add 4 cups warm water and let stand 30 minutes. Strain well and discard coconut.
Soak the salted beef in water for a couple of hours, then boil it in 4-cups of fresh water until tender.

Season the fish with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sauté fish in margarine. Add vegetables and seasonings and cook until fish flakes with a fork. Cut fish into pieces.

Blend the coconut milk, fish, salted beef, and beef stock: boil for 5 minutes. Mix a little water with the flour and cornmeal to form a paste and add it slowly to the soup to thicken it. Serve with funchi. (see Accompaniments). Serves 6-8



    "Giambo" (okra soup) Cover the salted meat with water and bring to a boil twice, changing the water after the first boil. Reserve the first water to add to soup.

Cook the meat with 6 cups water using some of the salted water reserved from above. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender, about 45 minutes.

Add the fish and cook until fish flakes easily. Remove meat and debone, then chunk the fish into bite size pieces.

To the broth add the okra, basil or "yerba di hole" and hot pepper. Simmer until okra is tender. With a wire whisk or a "lele" stick, reduce the okra to tiny pieces and simmer until it thickens.

Return beef and fish. Adjust seasonings. Serves 6. Serve with funchi. (See Accompaniments).



    "Bakiou" (creole style codfish) Sauté the codfish overnight or for several hours, changing the water once. Cover the fish with fresh water and bring to a boil. Cool. Remove bones and skin, then flake.

Sauté the vegetables in oils until all are transparent, add tomato paste, 2 tablespoons water, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Add the codfish and simmer for 15 minutes until heated through and codfish takes on flavoring. Serve with hot rice. Serves 4.

Optional: 1 tablespoon capers, 1 red canned pimento and croutons.



    "Sòpi di galiña" (Chicken soup) Wash chicken with limes. In a large soup pot, add enough water to cover the chicken, vegetables and bones. Bring to a boil and them reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Strain the stock, add bouillon cubes. Discard soup bones. Debone chicken, cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve carrots.

To the both, add potatoes and when they are neatly done, vermicelli. Place chicken, carrots and corn-on-the-cob into pot. Add Lea & Perrins sauce to spice the soup, if desired.