With a spicy-sweet broth, fat pieces of white fish, and coins of petite potatoes, this feel-good bowl will satisfy from last snow to first bloom. While babysitting a bubbling pot is welcome in the depths of winter, this one comes together swiftly. To keep cooking time low, it starts with punchy aromatics (cilantro stems, white onion, cumin seeds, and jalapeños) heated through in a mix of butter and oil to unleash their flavor. The fragrant base quickly perks up store-bought broth. To finish, drop fish into the aromatic hot soup to gently poach as you chop some fresh garnishes for scattering on top.
Test Kitchen Tip: Jalapeños can be decently spicy or quite mild depending on their growing conditions, so taste a bit from the end before chopping. If the flesh is warm for your palate, use only half of the ribs and seeds (which are even spicier), or omit them entirely. If it’s mild, add up to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes to the soup as well.
