Caldo de siete mares

Method

1. 1 Boil shrimp shells and fish heads with onions in 1.2 liters of water for 25 minutes, then strain to obtain the broth.
2. 2 Roast the dried chilies for 40 seconds, then blend them with tomatoes and a little broth, and fry the sauce for 6 minutes.
3. 3 Pour the sauce into the broth, season with salt, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. 4 Add the seafood in the order of cooking time: crab and clams first (5 minutes), then squid (2 minutes), fish (3 minutes), and shrimp (final 90 seconds).
5. 5 Putting everything in at once makes the shrimp and squid tough like rubber, while the crab isn't cooked through.
6. 6 Add the epazolets, then turn off the heat immediately and squeeze in some lemon juice when serving.

With an appliance

• Oven 55 min

  Replace step 1: spread shrimp shells, fish heads, and onions on a tray, bake on the middle rack at 220 degrees for 8 minutes, then cook with 1.2 liters of water for 12 minutes and strain; the total broth time is about 5 minutes shorter, has a stronger roasted flavor, and you don't have to stand and skim off the foam for a long time. The seafood added in step 4 is still cooked on the stovetop to prevent the shrimp and squid from being overcooked.