Caldo De Lubina (mexico City) Recipe

Make the aromatic broth

In a large pot (4–5 quart) add the water, chicken or fish stock, smashed garlic, halved onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, black peppercorns, thyme sprigs and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to extract flavor.

Clarify and finish broth

After simmering, remove the solids with a slotted spoon (reserve onion and carrot if you want to chop back into the soup). Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl; discard solids. Return strained broth to pot, stir in the white wine and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Keep hot over low heat.

Prepare sea bass

Cut sea bass into 1" to 1.5" dice or leave as 2–3 oz portions. Pat dry and season lightly with salt and a pinch of pepper. Set aside until ready to poach.

While the broth simmers, warm a medium skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add diced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders its fat and is browned, about 4–6 minutes. Add smoked paprika and cook 30 seconds to bloom the spice. Add the drained white beans to the pan and gently toss to heat through and coat with chorizo oil, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Spoon the beans and chorizo into the reserved strained solids or a bowl; you will add them back to the broth later.

Char the tomato and chile: place the quartered tomato and halved serrano directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler until skin is blackened and blistered on most sides, 5–7 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a bowl and cover for 5 minutes, then peel if desired. Roughly chop and add to the broth. Alternatively, saute them in the skillet used for chorizo until softened and slightly charred.

Add the chopped charred tomato, chile, and cilantro stems to the simmering strained broth. Simmer gently 5 minutes to combine flavors. Taste and adjust heat/salt. If you removed onion/carrot earlier and prefer them in the finished soup, chop and add now and simmer 3–4 minutes until warmed.

Add the warmed white beans and chorizo mixture to the broth and bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Slide the sea bass pieces into the simmering broth in a single layer; poach gently until opaque and cooked through, 3–5 minutes depending on size. Do not boil vigorously or the fish will fall apart.

When fish is just cooked, squeeze the juice of 1 lime into the broth and taste; adjust seasoning with sea salt and pepper. If you want a little more heat, finely slice additional serrano and add a few rounds to the pot to warm through.

Ladle the caldo into warmed bowls, dividing fish, beans and chorizo evenly. Top each bowl with chopped cilantro leaves, sliced green onion and avocado slices if using. Serve with lime wedges and crusty bread or warm tortillas for dipping.