TOMATO AND CRAB SOUP

Tomato and Crab Soup image

Provided by Ian Knauer

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 stalks lemongrass, peeled, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 Fresno or Thai chile, seeded, minced
2 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat
3/4 cup pea tendrils or shoots, trimmed
6 snow peas, trimmed, thinly sliced on diagonal

Steps:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add scallions, lemongrass, and chile and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, coconut milk, orange juice, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice, if desired. Chill, if desired. Or ladle hot soup into wide shallow bowls. Garnish with crabmeat, pea tendrils, and snow peas.