Authentic Caldo de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Soup)

Welcome to a delightful journey of flavors with "Cooking Con Claudia"! Today, I’m thrilled to share with you a cherished traditional Mexican seafood dish: “Caldo de Camarón”. This robust and slightly spicy soup is packed with shrimp, vegetables, and an aromatic blend of herbs and spices capable of warming you from the inside out. Let's dive into this simple yet succulent recipe.

Ingredients:

- Raw shrimp, with shells (quantity as desired)

- 5 New Mexico chile pods, seeds removed

- Chile de árbol, to taste (optional for extra spiciness)

- 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered

- 1/2 small white onion

- 3 garlic cloves

- 2 bay leaves

- Tomato sauce (about 1/2 cup)

- Dried ground shrimp (small handful)

- 3 small potatoes, cubed

- Carrots, chopped

- Celery, chopped

- 1 Mexican squash (calabacita) or chayote, chopped

- Cilantro or epazote, finely chopped

- Ground spices (Cumin, black pepper, oregano - link in the video description)

- Salt, to taste

- Water (4 cups for blending, 6 cups additional for broth)

- Lime, for serving

- Tostadas, for serving

Equipment:

- Small frying pan

- Blender

- Strainer

- Large stock pot

- Steamer (optional)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Instructions:

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. Fry the onion and garlic cloves until they're soft and fragrant.

3. Briefly fry the chile pods, ensuring they don't burn, and set them aside.

4. Next, fry the chile de árbol (if using) and move it aside to avoid it getting too hot.

5. Last, fry the tomato quarters just until they have a nice char.

6. To the pan, add 1 cup of water and cover, letting everything steam for about 10 minutes.

7. Transfer all fried ingredients to a blender, adding the tomato sauce, dried ground shrimp, ground spices, salt, and 4 cups of water. Blend until smooth to create the broth base.

8. Pour the broth through a strainer into a large stock pot set over medium-high heat and add 6 cups of water.

9. Place the shrimp shells in a steamer rack over the broth to infuse it with flavor for about 20 minutes.

10. Remove the shrimp shells, check the broth for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.

11. Add the potatoes, carrots, epazote, and bay leaves and cook for 15 minutes.

12. Then, include the Mexican squash, chayote, baby corn, celery, and optional chile chipotles, and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.

13. Finally, add the raw shrimp and cilantro to the pot and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.

14. Serve hot, making sure each bowl gets a hearty helping of broth, vegetables, and shrimp.

15. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice before enjoying with crispy tostadas on the side.

Cooking Tips:

- Customize the level of spicy heat to your liking by adjusting the amount of chile de árbol.

- Use the steamer to ensure maximum flavor extraction from the shrimp shells.

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This recipe is by Cooking Con Claudia and the delightful treasures from her kitchen. Explore more recipes on her YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@CookingConClaudia.

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Shrimp Soup (Caldo de Camarón)