Sunday Flavors

SOPA DE CAÇÃO
(DOGFISH SOUP)

Sopa de Cação is a very traditional dish in the Southern Portuguese provinces of Algarve and Alentejo. The principal ingredient of this simple dish is dogfish, a specie of shark: Squaliformes Squalidae, so if you have any prejudice against eating this relative of the shark you may prefer to use some other firm white fish.
Dogfish is not easy to find in Macau, but my dear friend Santos has this recipe sometimes available at the daily menu and found me several slices, enabling me to cook this soup for you.
What makes the difference in this recipe is the final gentle touch of vinegar or lemon juice mixed with a small amount of wheat flour, giving this soup an exquisite texture and flavor.

YOU WILL NEED (serves 4):
600 gr (1 lb and 5 ¼ oz) of dogfish slices, without skin;
Salt and pepper;
3 garlic cloves, sliced;
1 bay leaf;
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) of extra virgin olive oil;
1 litre of boiling water;
Good branch of fresh coriander;
4 tablespoons of wheat flour
4 tablespoons of wine vinegar;
Lightly toasted bread slices.

METHOD:
Wash fish slices, drain, season with salt and reserve.
In a pot, heat olive oil and fry half of fresh coriander twigs with bay leaf. When done, discard fried coriander and bay leaf.
Add garlic to the hot aromatized olive oil and sauté until soft.
Add fish slices, sealing evenly on both sides for around 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and reserve in a warm place.
Add boiling water and boil for another 2 or 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk flour and wine vinegar in a separate bowl, adding a few more spoons of hot water.
Add the whisked contents of this separate bowl to the pot, continuing the whisking to incorporate it well.
Bring back to the boil, add the fish slices and cook for 5 minutes more.
Add remaining coriander, coarsely chopped, and turn off the heat.
Place toasted bread slices on the serving plate and pour the soup over them, soaking them well.