Thai Tomato & Crab Soup

We went to Charlestown "Hollywood Casino" the other night with a few friends.

7-7-7-7 and a disco ball ... Do you know what that means?

It means $210 on the Super Jackpot Party slot machine!!!  It also meant expensive fresh lump crab meat for this recipe from Bon Appétit that I've been drooling over -- guilt free.

And ... it meant an extra $100 dollars toward our vacation fund! We are thinking a Western Caribbean cruise. We don't have tons of money, but have been putting some aside so that we can go somewhere when the weather gets too cold. 

 ... life is short and we work really hard.  It's a crime not to enjoy it. You have to eat lump crab meat in soup sometimes and take vacations to places where the water is turquoise. 

Even if you don't hit 7-7-7-7 and a disco ball. 

This soup is amazing hot or cold. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the crab meat. I've never made  tomato soup from scratch before and it was easier than I thought. The Thai influence (I love coconut milk) made it light but still extremely flavorful.

Shopping List (from Bon Appétit) 
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

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.

(I learned how to trim lemon grass for the first time making this soup. Pranee's instructions on this video were super helpful.)