Excellent for a Lenten meal this fish stock and shrimp in a chipotle-tomato broth is slightly spicy and easy to prepare. Serve soup with lime wedges, hot sauce, and saltine crackers.
In a large stockpot heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add jalapeño, carrots, and celery, and cook for 3 minutes, Add 1 chopped tomato and cook for an additional minute. Turn off heat, place sautéed ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
To a blender add chipotle chiles, garlic, pepper, bouillon, tomatoes, and onion; and puree until smooth.
Strain blended mixture until smooth and discard any tomato skins and chile peels.
In the same stockpot heat additional 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add strained mixture to stockpot and bring to a boil for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pot bring water to a boil.
Add boiled water, sautéed vegetables, fish, shrimp, bay leaves, and fish stock to the stock pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until fish is tender. Add cilantro during the last 5 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Notes
To serve: Ladle the shrimp and fish soup into bowls, making sure to include a piece of fish and shrimp for each serving. Serve with lime wedges, hot sauce, a sprinkle of queso fresco, and some saltine crackers or warm corn tortillas on the side. Enjoy!Expert Tips & Tricks
Frozen Fish. Frozen fish is usually cheaper than fresh fish, and ironically, it’s usually fresher (and tastier!) than what’s on display. Why? Unless you live in a fishing community, nearly all seafood is flash-frozen when caught to preserve the freshness and flavor.
Frozen Shrimp. Opt for raw frozen shrimp rather than pre-cooked. The precooked and shelled kind taste sort of bland, plus you run the risk of overcooking them if they’re already cooked to begin with. Overcooked shrimp are rubbery and tough — not what we want in our beautiful pot of caldo de camarones!
Storage & Heating Instructions
Refrigerate: Caldo de pescado y camaron will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat: To serve, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge, then gently warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Do not microwave: I do not recommend using the microwave for warming this fish soup, as the microwave tends to make fish and shrimp tough and rubbery.