Jamaican Seafood Soup

By á-174942

Ingredients

• OPTIONAL GARNISH:
• 2 slices apple-smoked or regular bacon chopped
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced leeks
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 cups fish stock
• 1 pound plum tomatoes diced
• 2 tablespoons minced tarragon
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter - (to 2 tbspns)
• 3 ounces medium shrimp peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces snapper, mahi-mahi or grouper coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces stone crab meat or other crab flaked
• Small-size croutons
• Sliced green onions

Preparation

Step 1

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon until lightly crisped. Add the onions, celery and leeks and cook over medium-low heat until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook 3 minutes longer.

Stir in the jerk seasoning and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the fish stock and tomatoes. Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the tarragon and salt to taste; cover to keep hot.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet, add the shrimp and fish and cook over medium heat until just opaque through. Add the crab and stir gently until heated.

Distribute the seafood among shallow soup bowls. Ladle the hot soup base over and garnish with croutons and green onions, if desired.

This recipe yields 2 to 4 servings.

Jerk seasoning -- a quintessential element of Jamaican cooking -- is becoming more commonly available throughout the country. Look for it in the gourmet spice section of the supermarket or in specialty shops.