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Sunday, May 3, 2020

Caldo de Camaron y Pescado

Caldo de Camaron y Pescado (Brothy Shrimp and Fish Soup)
Caldo de Camaron y Pescado
I feel like I'm a part-time pescetarian. And I have the sneaking suspicion that if pigs could swim, I'd have no problem whatsoever becoming a full-time pescetarian.

Although, you might find me holding swim lessons for chickens and cows in my spare time.

So yeah, not really a pescetarian...but I would definitely be okay having fish and seafood as my main "meat" source for the rest of my life. Which further substantiates that nagging little voice in my head telling me that I need to move to the coast. A coast. Any coast.
Caldo de Camaron y Pescado (Brothy Shrimp and Fish Soup)
Or perhaps an island. All coast, all the time. I am still trying to find a way to "build up" on that little one-foot-square parcel of land I own on Islay, right across the street from the Laphroaig distillery...

But, until then, I will keep rejoicing when I find "just delivered" seafood shipments at the market. Or good, local fresh water fish when I can find it. I haven't actually gone fishing since I was a kid.

Lately I've had the craving for one of my favorite types of Caldos, or Brothy Soups. One swimming (see what I did there) with not only fish, but also shrimp in a broth flavored perfectly with chiles, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Caldos really are my favorite...good and brothy, with lots of chunks just waiting for my spoon to scoop them up!
Caldo de Camaron y Pescado (Brothy Shrimp and Fish Soup)
How 'bout you? Do you have a favorite type of fish or seafood soup? I'm thinking I may make the exploration of seafood soups my mission for the cooler months, once the Summer of the Popsicle has ended. Of course, sitting around with a big, steaming bowl of this in front of me, I am hardly to be blamed for being steered in that direction. Can I?

More delicious caldo (brothy Mexican soup) recipes:
Caldo de Mariscos
Caldo de Res
Caldo Tlalpeño

yield: serves 8-10print recipe
Caldo de Camaron y Pescado (Brothy Shrimp and Fish Soup)

Caldo de Camaron y Pescado (Brothy Shrimp & Fish Soup)

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
Shrimp, fish, and veggies in a flavorful broth form this classic Mexican caldo.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
  • 3 pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn in large pieces
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 quarts stock (fish, shellfish, vegetable or a mix)
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1/2 pound carrots
  • 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • ~1 pound tilapia fillets
  • 12 ounces salad shrimp
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
  • lime wedges
  • freshly chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large Dutch Oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute until soft and caramelized on the edges, ~7 minutes. Add the torn chiles and saute for another minute, stirrring the whole time. Remove from heat.
  2. Scoop the onion, garlic, and chiles into the jar of a blender, leaving behind as much of the oil as possible. Add the tomatoes with their juices to the blender, and puree until smooth.
  3. Set the pot back over medium heat, add another drizzle of olive oil to the oil still in the pot so that you have about 1 tablespoon total. Set a strainer over the pot. Pour the pureed mixture through the strainer and into the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened up to about the consistency of tomato paste, 5-10 minutes.
  4. flavor base
  5. Add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes.
    While the broth is simmering, cut your potatoes in quarters lengthwise, and then into 1/4-inch slices. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise (and into quarters if they are particularly fat), and then slice into 1/4-inch wedges also.
  6. When the 15 minutes is up, add the carrots and veggies to the pot. Bring back to a bubble and let simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
  7. Add the raw shrimp, the whole tilapia fillets, and the salad shrimp to the pot. It will take a few minutes for the pot to begin to bubble around the edges again - at this point, the shrimp and the fish should be cooked through. Gently run a spoon through the broth, checking that they are done. As you stir, the tilapia will break into good size chunks. Taste, and if you think it needs salt and pepper, add some to taste now.
  8. Serve in large bowls with a small handful of chopped cilantro plenty of lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
Notes:
  1. This soup is not spicy. The pasillas (dried chiles) are not hot, but they do add a beautiful depth of flavor to the broth. If you want it spicier, you could add a few more chiles to the recipe, or serve with hot sauce for splashing into individual bowls.
Created using The Recipes Generator