Cajun Shrimp and Crabmeat Soup

Frank's Pot Baked Game Hens Cajun Shrimp and Crabmeat Soup Creole Stuffed Tomatoes Florentine Frank's Holiday Rice Cooker Casserole Frank's Swiss-Baked Green Beans Chocolate Chip Cherry Cake

Not a bouillabaisse, not a gumbo, not a chowder, bisque, or stew-but a bowl of pure Creole goodness nonetheless. Think of it as a rich vegetable soup to which we've added two ingredients we all love so dearly-shrimp and crabmeat! I mean, how can you go wrong with a combination like that? Here's your perfect N'Awlins Christmas appetizer! 1 large red bell pepper  
1 large green bell pepper
2 carrots, peeled and diced  
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies (12-oz. size)  
1 small onion, peeled and diced  
4 cloves garlic, minced  
3 green onions, thinly sliced  
3 cups water  
4 cans Campbell's or Swanson's chicken broth (10-3/4 oz size)  
1 cup chopped celery  
1/2 tsp. sweet basil  
1/8 tsp. dried thyme  
1/4 tsp. turmeric  
2 bay leaves  
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes  
2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined  
1 lb. crab claw meat 1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges  
1/4 cup chopped parsley First prep all your ingredients. Wash and cut the bell peppers, dice the carrots, chop the onions and the celery, mince the garlic, and slice the shallots. Then bring the 3 cups of water and all of the chicken broth to a rapid boil in a 6-quart saucepan. When the liquid is at a rolling boil, drop in the peppers, carrots, tomatoes, onions, garlic, green onions, celery, basil, thyme, turmeric, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture uncovered for 30 minutes. In the meantime, peel and de-vein the shrimp and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water.

Then increase the heat under the saucepan to medium high and when the soup base once again begins to boil, drop in the shrimp and cook them hard for exactly 2 minutes. At that point, reduce the fire to low, gently stir in the crabmeat, and allow the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered. Then just before you're ready to serve, adjust the salt and pepper once again to your taste, if necessary.

All that's left is to ladle out the soup into heavy crockery bowls, garnish with a sprinkling of the fresh parsley, and sprits on a few drops of lemon juice. I know you're not supposed to , but I'd have just a little French bread on the side in case I'd want to do a little soppin'.
1. Yes, use the liquid in the Rotel can! Do not discard it! It becomes part of the soup!  
2. If you can't find fresh or frozen crabmeat where you shop, it's okay to substitute two cans of king crab meat (drained with the cartilage removed) in its place. Just do not substitute surimi (artificial crabmeat).  
3. This soup can be made days in advance and reheated when you're ready to serve it.