Veracruzana Crab Soup

This is an elegant soup that I’ve served at dinner parties as well as family dinners. It has a spicy depth of flavor, resulting from the combination of pickled capers, pickled jalapeños (don’t substitute fresh for canned here) and olives.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
• 2 medium-size canned jalapeño chiles (en escabeche), seeded and chopped (about 3 tablespoons chopped)
• ¼ cup chopped green olives
• Scant 1/4 cup capers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
• 2 28-ounce cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
• Salt (1 to 2 teaspoons)
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 pound winter squash or zucchini, peeled and diced (about 2 cups diced)
• A bouquet garni made with 2 sprigs each cilantro and mint, and 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 ½ pounds cooked crabmeat
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 3 limes, cut in wedges, for serving

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    270 calories; 4 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 109 milligrams cholesterol; 1746 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Serves six to eight

Preparation

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onions. Cook, stirring, for five to 10 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two, until the garlic begins to color. Add the tomatoes and about 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are somewhat cooked down and the mixture smells fragrant. Add the potatoes, the winter squash, chiles, olives, capers, bouquet garni and the oregano, and stir together for five minutes. Add 2 quarts water and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 30 minutes, until the potatoes and winter squash are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and/or garlic if you wish. Remove from the heat if not serving right away.
2. Bring the soup back to a bare simmer, and stir in the crab. Heat through, stirring and being careful not to let the soup boil or the crabmeat, which is already cooked, will become too rubbery. Just before serving, stir in the chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

• Advance preparation: The soup can be prepared through step 1 a day or two ahead and refrigerated. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

1 hour 15 minutes