Name: Puerto Rican Salmorejo (Stewed Crab and Tomatoes with Rice) Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 6 mini sweet peppers; ½ green bell pepper; 1 medium white onion; 3 cloves garlic; 3 large Roma tomatoes; 8 oz tomato sauce; 2 tbsp recaito; 1½ tsp sazón con culantro y achiote seasoning; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; 1 bay leaf; 6 Manzanilla olives; 1 tbsp capers; 1 lb crabmeat; ½ cup water; white rice; green plantain chips

Puerto Rican Salmorejo (Stewed Crab and Tomatoes with Rice) Recipe

How To Make Puerto Rican Salmorejo

This Puerto Rican Salmorejo or Stewed Crab and Tomatoes is a complete medley of savory and hearty, made with flavorful spiced stewed crab served over rice.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

1tbspextra-virgin olive oil
6mini sweet peppers,(about ¼ cup) or yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, diced
½green bell pepper,(about ½ cup) diced
1medium white onion,(about 1 cup) diced
3clovesgarlic,minced
3large roma tomatoes,(about 2 cups) diced
8oztomato sauce,(1 can – about ¼ cup)
2tbsprecaito,store bought, or homemade
1½tspsazón con culantro y achiote seasoning,store bought or homemade
1tsporegano,dried
1tspkosher salt
¼tspblack pepper
1bay leaf
6manzanilla olives,stuffed
1tbspcapers,drained of brine
1lbcrabmeat,lump, backfin, or claw, or a combination of these
½cupwater
white rice,cooked, to serve
green plantain chips,fried, to serve, optional

Instructions

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat until the surface of the oil begins to ripple.
Add the sweet peppers, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables look glossy and translucent.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add the tomatoes to the pan.
Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for 4 more minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, recao, sazón, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaf, olives, and capers.
Bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer and then lower the heat to maintain the simmer—tiny bubbles should just barely break the surface of the liquid.
Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Add the crabmeat and water to the pan, and gently fold the meat into the tomato sauce. Avoid stirring too aggressively to keep the crabmeat in lumps.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Allow the salmorejo to simmer for 10 minutes without stirring.
Serve the salmorejo over steamed white rice, or atop fried plantain chips.

Recipe Notes

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat well over the stovetop or in the microwave.
The salmorejo can also be frozen for up to 2 months in a zip-top storage bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and warm it on the stove in a saucepan until it’s bubbling.