Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 ml vegetable oil, neutral
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 60 g aji amarillo paste
- 2 g dried oregano, rubbed
- 1 g ground cumin
- 15 g tomato paste
Broth & Vegetables
- 1000 ml fish stock, rich, homemade or high-quality
- 400 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 200 g corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 200 g zucchini, diced into 2cm half-moons
- 8 g salt
Proteins & Finish
- 400 g halibut fillets, skin removed, cut into 4cm chunks
- 250 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 120 ml evaporated milk
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 lime wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 552 kcal
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1741 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 173 mg
- Potassium
- 2346 mg
- Calcium
- 136 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 130 mg
- Phosphorus
- 561 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 143 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 52 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 7.0 mg
- Folate
- 58 mcg
- Water
- 257 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, aji amarillo paste, tomato paste, dried oregano, and cumin. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens slightly and the oil separates from the solids.
Pour in the fish stock and bring to a gentle boil. Add the potato cubes. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are halfway cooked.
Add the corn kernels and diced zucchini to the pot. Continue simmering for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Gently place the halibut chunks into the broth. Poach for 3 minutes without stirring vigorously to keep the fish intact.
Add the shrimp and the evaporated milk. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, and the fish flakes easily. The internal temperature of the fish should reach 63°C (145°F).
Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the fresh cilantro and serve hot with lime wedges on the side.
Chef's Notes
- Aji Amarillo is the soul of this dish. If you cannot find the paste, you can blend hydrated dried yellow chilies, but do not substitute with standard hot sauce.
- For an even richer stock, simmer the shrimp shells in the fish stock for 20 minutes and strain before using.
- Cut the zucchini slightly larger than the potatoes as they cook faster; adding them with the corn prevents them from turning to mush.
- If you prefer a thicker stew, mash two or three cooked potato cubes against the side of the pot before adding the fish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Reheat gently; seafood texture degrades with reheating.
Reheating: Warm on low heat on the stove to 70°C/158°F. Do not boil.
Troubleshooting
Fish has disintegrated into the soup
Cause: Soup was boiled too vigorously or stirred too much after adding fish
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but flavor will still be excellent. Serve as a rustic chowder.
Prevention: Keep heat at a bare simmer (poach) once protein is added and swirl pot instead of stirring
Soup looks curdled
Cause: Evaporated milk was added to boiling liquid or acid (lime) was added too early
Fix: Blend a small amount of boiled potato with broth and whisk back in to stabilize emulsion
Prevention: Lower heat before adding milk; serve lime on the side
Cultural Context
This dish is inspired by the Peruvian 'Chupe', a hearty chowder tradition from the Arequipa region. While Chupes often include eggs, cheese, and crayfish, this coastal variation highlights the delicacy of halibut while maintaining the signature creamy, spicy aji amarillo base.
