Great Cerulean Sea Recipe
SERVINGS: 4-6 | PREP TIME: 15 MIN | COOKING TIME: 45 MIN
Ingredients
Soup Base:- 4-6 cloves garlic, whole and skin on
- 1 large onion, cut in half
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 6 dried New Mexico (aka guajillo) chilies, stemmed, seeded
- 2 Cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 Tablespoons tomato or chicken bouillon
For the Soup:- 2 T. olive oil
- 2 Carrots diced in half moons
- 2 Celery sliced thin
- Second half of the onion diced, about ½ Cup
- 2 Jalapenos minced (optional)
- 1 Cup diced zucchini or chayote
- 8 Cups fish broth or chicken broth
- 1 lb bag of frozen mixed seafood mix (or mixed up fresh mussels, clams, crab, squid, calamari) DEFROSTED AND RINSED
- 1 lb Boneless white fish (red snapper, tilapia, cod), cubed
- 12-16 medium-large shrimp, peeled, de-veined (unless they are in the seafood mix)
- Crab Legs (optional)
For the finisher:- 2/3 C. finely chopped white onion
- 1/2 C. Chopped cilantro
- 1 large lime, cut into wedges
Directions
- Toast the chilies, one half of the onion, garlic, and tomato on a skillet or a comal on medium heat until there is noticeable char. While toasting, put the 2 cups of water to a boil. Toasting process will take some time. Take care to preheat skillet or comal.
- Take the toasted chiles off the stove after 2-3 minutes and steep them in the water to rehydrate for about 30 minutes. Continue to toast remaining items on stove
- Remove chiles from the water and place into a blender. Add the garlic, tomato, roasted onion, oregano, and cumin as well. Blend ingredients together and add water from rehydration when needed. Blend for at least 3-4 minutes
- Press the blended chili mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard solids remaining in the strainer
- Heat a small skillet or pot to medium heat and add olive oil. Pour blended chili into the pot, and add the 2 Tablespoons of tomato or chicken bouillon. Cook until the chili turns into a thick paste. About 4-5 minutes
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the carrots, celery, onion, jalapenos, and zucchini for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the thickened chili puree into the pot with the vegetables and mix together. Let cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add the 8 cups of broth to the pot, stir ingredients together. Let ingredients come to a boil. Taste broth and if needed add more bouillon if necessary.
- After soup has been cooking for 7-8 minutes, add seafood mix and white fish. Cook for 5 minutes
- Add shrimp and cook shrimp until pink and opaque. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve with cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges
