Chesapeake Ramen
January 23, 2020 by Nicole Collins
Guess what!
I found something else to Marylandify!
Marylandify, (verb) - to impose the customary practices of the state and people of Maryland on a person, place, or thing.
That’s my official definition. If anyone knows who to contact so I can get this very important word added to the dictionary, let me know. Because I feel like if a made up word like “fabulosity” can be added to the dictionary, so can “Marylandify”.
Maybe I’ll start a petition. That’s a good place to start, right?
You’re going to want to sign it as soon as you see what we’re making today!
We’re doing an Asian/Maryland fusion soupy kind of recipe today. Just trust me. These may not seem like category lines that we’d want to blend. But let me tell you, the results turned out even better than I could’ve expected.
So today, we’re making Chesapeake Ramen!
This was one of those ideas that came to me in the shower, and we all know those are the best kind. Here’s the best way to describe it…think Maryland Crab Soup broth with noodles. When we say it like that, it sounds a lot less strange!
In fact, the broth base is very similar to my crab soup broth. We start with some veggies: onion, garlic, and celery. Give them a quick sauté until they start to soften, then get ready to add the liquid. The next step is to add some seafood stock, a small can of fire roasted tomatoes, some Old Bay, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a little water. The seafood stock gives us the rich flavor base, the Worcestershire gives us the umami quality typical of ramen broths, and the Old Bay gives us lots of spice! Let these simmer together to let the flavors build, and that’s pretty much it for the broth! A hit of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end completes the broth.
Which means it’s time to build the soup! And, this really is the easy part. Make 2 packs of ramen without the seasoning packs, divide them between your bowls, pour over your broth, and get ready to top!
We’re going to fill our bowls with so much good stuff! Lump crab meat, cooked shrimp, and sweet corn all have a place in our bowl. And, we can’t have ramen without a jammy egg, so that’s in there too! Finish with some chopped chives and another wedge of lemon, and that’s it. Soup done!
Ramen seems like it should be such a complex dish, but it’s really not. The broth takes care of itself if you give the flavors a little time to mix together. And, you really don’t even have to prep the toppings. The hot soup base warms everything you put on top of it, so we literally drop and go with our toppings.
This soup is so WOW. It’s rich, and tomatoey, and slightly acidic, and perfectly spicy from the Old Bay. Meanwhile, the sweet crab and corn along with the juicy shrimp put you right in summertime mode no matter what time of year it is. This soup really is a home run.
Ok, guys. Anything else you want to see me Marylandify? Because, you know it’s basically my favorite thing to do. So, send me a challenge!
‘Til then…enjoy! And, let’s eat.
Chesapeake Ramen
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, sliced
½ onion, diced
4 cups seafood stock
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
salt, to taste
juice of ½ a lemon
½ lb lump crab meat
½ pound cooked shrimp, peeled and tails removed
1 cup corn (thawed, if frozen)
2 packs ramen noodles, seasoning packet removed
2 eggs
ice water
chives, for garnish
Directions:
Make the soup: In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and celery, and saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add garlic, and saute for 1 more minute, until fragrant. Add seafood stock, 2 cups water, fire roasted tomatoes with their juices, worcestershire, and Old Bay. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the soft boiled eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add both eggs, and boil for exactly 7 mins. Remove eggs from boiling water and place immediately in a bowl of ice water. After 2-3 mins when the eggs are cool enough to touch, carefully peel the eggs and cut them in half.
Make the ramen: In a medium saucepan, cook the ramen according to package directions.
Finish the soup: After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add lemon juice and salt, to taste. Stir well, and remove from heat. Divide ramen noodles evenly between 4 bowls. Top with stock mix, corn, shrimp, crab meat, and half of a soft boiled egg. Garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes:
*I bought steamed shrimp from a local spot for my soup, but you could also roast shrimp in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
*If you have fresh crab available in your area, make sure you get that instead of the stuff in the can. You can definitely taste the difference!
*If you're making this in advance, wait to soft boil the eggs and cook the ramen until you're ready to serve. The soup base can stay in the fridge for a week.
