Step By Step Guide to Making Roasted Red Pepper Crab Soup

Preparation:

• Before you start, ensure all your ingredients are ready.
• Wash and cut the crab legs.

Sauté Base Ingredients:

• Heat avocado oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic, shallots, celery, and oregano.
• Stir frequently until shallots are translucent (~2 minutes).

Cook the Crab:

• Add crab pieces and 1 cup chicken stock to the pot.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes or until crab shells turn bright red.
• Transfer crab to a separate dish and set aside.

Prepare the Pepper Puree:

• In a blender, combine roasted red peppers and tomato paste.
• Add ¼ cup cooking liquid from the pot to assist blending.
• Blend until smooth.

Combine Soup Base:

• Return the pot to heat and add the remaining 5 cups of chicken stock.
• Stir in the pepper puree.
• Season with smoked paprika, initial pinches of nutmeg and cinnamon, and add bay leaves.
• Mix well.

Season:

• Begin seasoning with ½ tsp cracked black pepper, adjusting to preference.
• Add sea salt to taste.

Simmer:

• Cover the pot and reduce heat.
• Allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes.

Final Touches:

• Remove and discard bay leaves.
• Stir in finely chopped fresh thyme.

Serve:

• Ladle soup into bowls.
• Serve crab on a separate dish, allowing each person to add their preferred amount to their soup.
• Optional: Add grains or leafy greens for added nutrition and texture.

Note:

This soup leans on the brothy side. To make it a fuller meal, consider adding a cooked whole grain like brown rice or barley to each bowl before ladling in the soup. Additionally, stirring in a leafy green (like spinach or kale) towards the end of the cooking process can enhance the soup’s nutritional profile.