Receta Crab, Spinach, and Coconut Soup
I want to be somewhere warm. Every year in January, I start dreaming of sun and beaches and water. I envision a long walk on a beach, my feet sinking in the warm sand as I collect rocks and shells. I’m not sure why I’m drawn to areas where land meets water but the ocean feeds my soul in some way. I love my life in Atlanta, but I do wish our city was closer to water.
Growing up in Mississippi, the Gulf Coast of Florida served as a regular vacation destination for my family. The white sandy beaches juxtaposed to incredibly clear blue-green water make for some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines.
I’m a little like Pavlov’s dog when I hear the word “seafood”. I really do begin to salivate in anticipation of eating something fresh out of the water. In Destin, Florida, Sexton’s Seafood sells some of the freshest seafood I’ve ever consumed. They operate their own boats and what you see in the market was literally caught just hours before.
Whenever we’re the area, I shop at Sexton’s for pounds of jumbo shrimp, red snapper, and crab and prepare what I call a “Seafood Fantasy”. When seafood is that fresh, the less you do to it the better. Butter, lemons, and garlic are all you need to make a delicious fête de la mer.
Dreams of beaches and seafood led me to this post and a soup with one of my favorite things: crabmeat. Crabmeat may be a little bit of a splurge, but in the cold months of winter, it provided me just the escape that I needed to warm days by the sea.
Crab, Spinach, and Coconut Soup
Ingredients
(Adapted from Cuisine Magazine)
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat
- 5 cups fresh spinach
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- Reserved bacon, for garnish
Fresh time wedges, for garnishInstructions
1. Brown bacon in a large dutch oven or stock pot. Remove bacon and set aside.
2. Transfer onion to the pot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue sauteing for 1 minute. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Stir to combine.
3. Add tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Add coconut milk, stirring to combine. Add spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Immediately before serving, add crabmeat and stir gently so you don't break up the lumps. Serve immediately with scallions, reserved bacon, and lime wedges.2.2
http://www.southernboydishes.com/2014/01/14/crab-spinach-and-coconut-soup/