Coastal Seafood Soup
Caldo de MariscosSeafood soups are popular all along Mexico's extensive coastlines, and they contain whatever fish comes from the region. This tasty soup is from Acapulco. Maggi is a popular and common seasoning concentrate frequently used by Mexican cooks throughout the country. It is widely available in supermarkets in the United States. Or you can substitute Worcestershire, which Mexicans call English sauce.
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
- ¾ pound 14 to 17 medium shrimp in the shell
- 3 green onions cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 celery rib cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium carrot cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 sprig parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 6 medium garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 4 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning extract or Worcestershire sauce
- 2 small new potatoes peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
- 1 jalapeño chile seeded, veins removed, and finely chopped
- 2 141⁄2-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound white fish fillets such as cod, snapper, or sea bass, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper or to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 fresh limes cut into wedges
Instructions
- Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells in a medium nonreactive saucepan.
- Devein the shrimp, and cut each shrimp crosswise into thirds.
- Put the cleaned shrimp into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
- To the pan with the shrimp shells, add the scallions, celery, carrot, parsley, oregano, bay leaf, wine, salt, and 2½ cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
- Pour the broth through a strainer placed over a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract all the juices.
- Discard the solids.
- Set the broth aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic.
- Cook, over medium heat, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and Maggi.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato juices have cooked away, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, jalapeño, chicken broth, and the reserved shrimp broth.
- Partially cover, and cook over medium-low until the potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the fish and shrimp.
- Cook until the fish is opaque, and the shrimp are pink and curled, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Serve the soup sprinkled with cilantro.
- Pass lime wedges at the table.