Recipe: Caldo Santo (Broth for the Saints)

Caldo Santo (Broth for the Saints)
Ths broth is supposed to be the "chicken soup" of Puerto Rico. Good for curing all the ailments!
Servings 8-10

7 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup annatto seeds
1 cup basic recaito (Sofrito)
3 quarts water
1 cup alcaparrado or manzanilla olives
1 pound each yuca (cassava), yautia (taro root), batata (Puerto Rican sweet potato), calabaza (West Indian pumpkin), and name (yam), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 green plantains, peeled and shredded, shaped into 1-inch balls (12 to 14 balls)
salt to taste
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 pound bacalao (salt codfish), cooked and shredded
8 blue crabs
1 pound boneless fillet of red snapper, cut into pieces

Heat 1 cup of the coconut milk with the annatto seeds. When the milk turns bright red, remove it from the heat and strain. Set the milk aside and discard the seeds.

In a big soup pot, combine the annatto-colored milk, the remaining coconut milk, and the recaito. Bring to a simmer.

Add the water, milk, and the recaito. Bring to simmer.

Add the water, alcaparrado, root vegetables, and plantain balls. Add the salt and bring to a boil.

Add all the seafood and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the root vegetables are cooked.

Let the soup cool a little before serving.