Campechana: Mexican Seafood Soup

Campechana is a Mexican seafood cocktail usually made of oysters, baby octopus, mussels, shrimp, squid and scallops.The seafood mix is prepared in its broth with vegetable juice, lime juice, ketchup, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, avocado and cilantro. Of course, jalapenos for the spicy kick (I only use 2 SMALL ones for flavor)! Tried this in a restaurant for $20 a bowl!!! I was able to find all these ingredients at Wal-Mart for under $35!! What you can't find in the mix purchase separately (my mix didn't have oysters, mussels or shrimp so I bought canned oysters, skipped the mussels and got frozen shrimp). This is in one word: SUBLIME.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 25-30
• Yields: 25-30 bowls

Ingredients

• 3  lbs  seafood (call around to your local grocers seafood section they will most likely have a frozen mix. You want )
• 1  whole cucumber, peeled and finely diced
• 3  large tomatoes, finely diced
• 1  large onion, finely diced
• 1  bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 5  jalapenos, finely chopped (I only used 2 very small ones)
• 2  avocados, chopped (love it so I used 3 firm ones so they wouldn't get musshie)
• 2  tablespoons vinegar
• 4  limes, juice of
• 4  cups  seafood stock (don't purchase separately you make your own!)
• 3  cups  vegetable juice
• 1  cup ketchup
• 1  teaspoon cumin
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Boil seafood mix in 4 to 5 cups of water for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Drain, setting aside broth.
3. Cool both seafood and broth.
4. Prepare tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cucumbers and jalapenos.
5. In a large bowl, mix well. Add seafood mix.
6. Add vinegar and juice from limes, broth, ketchup and vegetable juice.
7. Season with cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add avocados.
9. Serve with tostadas or saltine crackers. (I served it with extra sour sourdough crusty rolls).
10. TIPS:.
11. 1) I purchased the seafood as a mix from Food4less for around $3.50 a pound. It was already pre-sliced and ready to go. This is a more economical and convenient alternative than purchasing the oysters, squid and such individually.
12. 2) Most recipes call for Clamato juice but since we are using the broth that absorbed the flavors from the seafood when they were boiled, vegetable juice such as V-8 will do.
13. 3) Beware! I found the 5 jalapenos called for in this recipe to be beyond my “spice” tolerance. Modify the amount according to taste.
14. 4) Of course, get a cold bottle of Corona beer and enjoy!