Christmas Seafood Soup Recipes

CHRISTMAS SOUP

Steps:

• Place the kielbasa into a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the kielbasa has browned well and rendered its fat, approximately 15 minutes. If you do not have at least 2 teaspoons of fat, add enough vegetable oil to make 2 teaspoons. Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the beans and the chicken broth and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, add the potatoes, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Wash, rinse and trim the kale and tear into bite size pieces. Add the kale to the pot, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or just until it is tender, but not mushy.
• Add the red wine vinegar and black pepper and stir to combine. Evenly distribute the kielbasa between 8 soup bowls. Laddle the soup into bowls and serve.

ITALIAN FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry. If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
• Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.) Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Make toasts while stock simmers:
• Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with oil and season with salt. Bake, turning over once, until golden, about 10 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool slightly, then rub lightly with cut sides of garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
• Finish soup:
• Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately, with toasts alongside for dipping.

MIXED SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Bring clams, thyme sprigs, and 4 cups water to a simmer in a large pot. Cover; cook until clams open, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, discarding any that remain closed. Strain liquid into a bowl. Reserve 12 clams; coarsely chop meat from remaining ones.
• Melt butter in pot over medium. Add leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in vermouth; cook until almost evaporated, 2 minutes. Add celery, potatoes, and clam liquid. Simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes; mash a few with the back of a spoon to thicken soup. Stir in cream, salmon, and all clams. Cook until heated through, 1 minute. Season with pepper and serve, topped with thyme leaves.

25 POPULAR CHRISTMAS SOUPS

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a Christmas soup in 30 minutes or less!

CHRISTMAS CHOWDER

Steps:

• Pour 1 inch of water into a pot large enough to contain all the lobsters. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the bands from the lobsters' claws and place them on their backs over the boiling water. Cover the pot tightly, and steam over high heat about 3 minutes. Quickly remove the lobsters from the pot and chill them rapidly by plunging them into a basin filled with ice and water. Set a wire strainer over a mixing bowl. Twist the tails off the lobsters over the strainer to catch their juices. Shell the lobster tails and claws over the strainer. Cut the tails into 4 quarters, leave the claw and knuckle meats whole, and reserve the lobster meat in a refrigerator.
• Peel the potatoes, split each into 4 wedges, and slice the wedges into 1/2-inch slices. In a large non-reacting soup pot, cook the diced bacon over moderate heat until golden and nearly crisp. Pour off all but about a generous tablespoon of the fat. Add the diced leeks, stir, and cook about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, stir, cover the pot, and continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring frequently to prevent browning, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes depending upon the potato variety and the thickness of the slices. (Chef's Note: I like to mash some of the potatoes with a fork to give the chowder a luxurious but rustic texture, but good mealy potatoes, such as russets, will release some of their substance into the broth, and this step may be unnecessary.) Add the strained lobster juices and enough water, lobster or fish stock, to just cover the vegetables. Simmer 4 or 5 minutes. Keep the chowder base hot as you prepare the lobster meat and cream enrichment.
• Heat the butter in a wide skillet. Add the lobster meat, season with black pepper, and saute over moderate heat 3 or 4 minutes until the meat is firm, opaque, and pink. Pour in the heavy cream, and rapidly bring it to a simmer. Pour the lobster and cream mixture into the chowder base, and stir gently to combine. Taste for seasonings, and adjust with sea salt (preferably from Maine), plenty of fresh-milled black pepper, and a pinch of chipotle or cayenne pepper. Off heat, cover the pot and allow the chowder to ripen for 15 or 20 minutes before serving. Ladle into warmed soup plates, and sprinkle snipped chives over each serving. Accompany with plenty of warmed common crackers.

CHRISTMAS SEAFOOD SOUP

Steps:

• Drain the clams, reserving juice; set clam aside. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine clam juice, potatoes, celery, carrots and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the milk, shrimp, bacon, parsley, salt, pepper and reserved clams; heat through.

CREAMY NORWEGIAN FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add the flour, stir for about 2 minutes without browning the flour.
• Add the fish stock at intervals, stirring all the time, let it boil gently for 5-10 minutes.
• Melt the rest of the butter and saute the carrots and leek and potatoes, if using, for approx 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes (if using) and simmer for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimps, mussels, fish and the cream.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the fish and shellfish are tender.
• Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve garnished with sour cream and the lumpfish caviar.

SWEET AND SOUR CHRISTMAS FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Stir the chicken stock, water, and lemon juice in a large pot with the onion, garlic, ginger, and parsnips. Season with thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until the parsnips are tender and the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in the honey to your desired level of sweetness. You don't want the broth too sweet. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and stir in the walleye and bean sprouts. Cook gently for 5 minutes, then add the basil and green onion. Continue cooking until the fish is flaky and opaque, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint leaves to serve.

MANHATTAN SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cut bacon into small pieces and fry in pan.
• Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
• Saute celery, red bell pepper, onions and garlic in small amount of bacon grease for several minutes to sweat.
• Add fish and lightly sear.
• Add water or chicken broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, clam juice, clams and simmer for 1 hour.
• Add potatoes and carrots.
• Season with paprika, red pepper flakes, Old Bay, oregano and hot sauce.
• Simmer until potatoes and carrots are almost tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add shrimp 15 minutes before serving.