Shrimp soup

Living in Mexico I learned to love - and cook - “caldos” and “sopas”(soups) made with a tomato based broth. And my favourite is definitely the Caldo de Camarones!

It is a delicious Shrimp Soup and it is surprisingly easy to make.

The recipe calls for broth. You can make your own simply bringing to boil the shrimp peels with 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves and a bay leaf. Let everything simmer for about 8 minutes and your stock is ready!

SERVES 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb of plum tomatoes (roughly chopped)

• 1/2 onion (finely chopped)

• 2 garlic cloves

• 2 carrots (peeled and diced carrots)

• 1 red bell peppers (diced)

• 1 lb of raw shrimp (peels removed)

• 3 cups of warm stock (any kind of stock will work but as mention before you can make your own with shrimp peels)

• 2 tbsp of olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• fresh chopped parsley and coriander

Method

1. In a big pot, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and chilly flakes and fry for 2 more minutes.

2. Now remove the garlic cloves and add the carrots and bell peppers. Let them cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock and the the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the shrimps and cook for 5-7 minutes.

5. Serve your caldo sprinkling your parsley and cilantro.

Buon Appetito!

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I lived in Mexico City for about a year and I must admit that Mexican Cuisine is one of my favorite (along with the Italian of course). The variety of their gastronomy is overwhelming: every state has its own regional cuisine and traditions. It is interesting to notice how outside of the country we only know a few dishes, most of the time not even "really" Mexican ones but Tex-Mex ones. For instance, when it comes to soups, we immediately think about a tomato-based one served with tortillas, avocado, and cream. Well, this is the famous "Sopa Atzeca" and it is indeed a favorite all over Mexico but...it is just one of the hundreds of soups that you can find there. Caldos de Mariscos (seafood soups) are a must in any village or town close to the beach. If you will ever visit, you must try them! In the meanwhile you can bring some Mexican flavors to your table and dream about the beach cooking this Caldo de Camarones.