Campechana Mexican Seafood Soup

SHRIMP-AND-CRAB CAMPECHANA

Steps:

• Purée the sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl.
• Add the pico de gallo ingredients to the sauce. Delicately fold in the avocado, chilies, shrimp and crabmeat. Spoon into ice-cream-sundae or martini glasses and serve with warm homemade tortilla chips. Garnish each dish with a fresh bay leaf and finely chopped fresh jalapeños on the side.

CAMPECHANA EXTRA (MEXICAN SEAFOOD COCKTAIL)

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat or preheat broiler. If broiling, place chiles on a rimmed baking sheet. Grill, broil, or roast chiles directly over flame on stovetop, turning occasionally, until very tender and blackened all over, 10-12 minutes. Poblanos might take a little longer, so test doneness with a paring knife.
• Transfer chiles to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let steam 15 minutes. Peel chiles. Halve lengthwise, discard seeds, and chop into 1/4" pieces.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook shrimp until just opaque and pink, 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to an ice bath and let sit until cool, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Mix chiles, tomato, jalapeños, Clamato juice, ketchup, olives, cilantro, onion, oregano, garlic, lime juice, oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Carefully fold in shrimp, crab, and avocado.
• Transfer to a serving bowl or tall sundae glass and top with bay leaf, if using. Serve with tortilla chips alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Salsa base (without seafood and avocado) can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to a resealable container and chill.
• This recipe and headnote have been updated as a part of our archive repair project.

MEXICAN SEAFOOD COCKTAIL (CAMPECHANA)

Steps:

• Bring about 5-6 cups of water with a little salt to a boil
• Add in the seafood blend and cook for about 10 minutes
• Drain but reserve the broth, place the seafood in a bowl
• To 4 cups of the reserved broth add the vinegar, lime juice, and vegetable juice along with the cumin and mix all together.
• Add the chopped onion, jalapenos and cilantro to the seafood mix and mix all together.
• Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
• Put a about 1/2 cup of seafood in a cup and fill it up with the broth.
• Serve with some extra lime and saltine crackers for a real delicious treat!

CAMPECHANA: MEXICAN SEAFOOD SOUP

Steps:

• Boil seafood mix in 4 to 5 cups of water for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Drain, setting aside broth.
• Cool both seafood and broth.
• Prepare tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cucumbers and jalapenos.
• In a large bowl, mix well. Add seafood mix.
• Add vinegar and juice from limes, broth, ketchup and vegetable juice.
• Season with cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add avocados.
• Serve with tostadas or saltine crackers. (I served it with extra sour sourdough crusty rolls).
• TIPS:.
• 1) I purchased the seafood as a mix from Food4less for around $3.50 a pound. It was already pre-sliced and ready to go. This is a more economical and convenient alternative than purchasing the oysters, squid and such individually.
• 2) Most recipes call for Clamato juice but since we are using the broth that absorbed the flavors from the seafood when they were boiled, vegetable juice such as V-8 will do.
• 3) Beware! I found the 5 jalapenos called for in this recipe to be beyond my "spice" tolerance. Modify the amount according to taste.
• 4) Of course, get a cold bottle of Corona beer and enjoy!

MEXICAN SEAFOOD COCKTAIL (CAMPECHANA)

Steps:

• Combine the first 15 ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt; toss to mix.
• Fold in shrimp, crab, and avocado.
• Serve with tortilla chips.

SEAFOOD CAMPECHANA

Steps:

• Mix sauce ingredients well and set aside. Mix vegetables and combine with sauce mixture. For the roasted chilis I use Anaheim chilis. I coat them with a little olive oil and put them on the grill until the skin is charred on all sides. Cook them until they are just tender. Too much and the skin will stick. Peel the charred skin off under cold running water, pull the top off and remove the seeds. Delicately fold in the seafood mix. Serve in an ice cream sundae glass with warm homemade corn tortilla chips. Garnish each with a fresh bay leaf and finely chopped fresh jalapenos on the side.