Aljotta (Maltese Garlic Fish Soup)

Aljotta is Malta’s classic fisherman’s soup, built on a garlicky tomato broth with fresh fish, marjoram, and a squeeze of lemon. It began as a way for fishing families to use the day’s smaller catch and remains a comforting, simple soup today.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
• 6 cups fish or vegetable stock
• 1 lb firm white fish fillets (such as grouper or snapper), cut into chunks
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup short-grain rice (optional, traditional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Build the base
   Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add tomatoes
   Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until they break down slightly.
3. Simmer the broth
   Pour in the stock, add the marjoram and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook the rice
   If using rice, stir it in now and simmer for 10 minutes, until nearly tender.
5. Poach the fish
   Add the fish chunks and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, until just cooked through.
6. Finish and serve
   Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and ladle into bowls. Garnish with parsley.

A crusty slice of bread on the side turns aljotta into a full meal.