Although it’s traditionally made with limes (and you could certainly make it that way), Meyer lemons add a gentler, subtle twist to this classic Mexican soup with shrimp, garlic and lots of fresh cilantro. Meyer lemons are usually available only during the winter months; they are rounder and smoother than common lemons. Serve as a light entree with a big salad or as a special starter.

Makes 4 servings, 1 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and quartered
8 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
3 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Bring broth, onion, jalapeños, garlic, zest, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves to a simmer in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat, and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the broth (discard solids).
2. Return the broth to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Add shrimp, lemon juice, salt and hot sauce (if using). Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 149 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 177 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 600 mg sodium; 234 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (61% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv), good source of omega-3s.
0 carbohydrate servings
Exchanges: 4 very lean meat

TIP: Substitution Tip: Meyer lemon juice concentrate can be purchased online from perfectpuree.com. Although nothing can replicate the distinct sweet, tart, floral taste of a Meyer lemon, you can use 2 tablespoons regular lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon orange juice to replace the 3 tablespoons juice in this recipe, and regular lemons for the zest.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store the spiced broth (Step 1) in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost and return the broth to a simmer before continuing with Step 2.

I added some roasted red peppers to the soup and served over brown rice. It was tangy and warm. Made a great lunch with a quesadilla.

Anonymous

I used 1 tsp butter and 3 tbsp olive oil to sautee the onions and garlic. I think this is a better method to open up the flavor of the onion and garlic. I also used a pinch of saffron and 2 vegetable bullion cubes to make an all vegetable base broth. Instead of shrimp I used Tilapia, a mild white fish. A side spinach salad and warm tortillas made a beautiful dinner. Thanks for the inspiration. Easy, reminded me of the famous "Heal the sick, raise the Dead" garlic soup at the also famous Express Cafe in Merida, Mexico. Mmmmm. Thanks, Jill

Anonymous, W.Palm Beach, FL

Has become a family favorite. Meyer lemons are a thing to behold! The broth is bursting with flavor. I ease off on the cilantro a bit, as I am very sensitive to the flavor.

Anonymous

This soup was very good as written and my husband loved it. I found it a little difficult to strain while hot and the shrimp seemed to be proportionally too many for the amount of broth. Next time I will increase the broth and think about ways to extract the solids more easily.

Bdeneke, Nashville, TN

The correct name is Yucatan's Sopa de Lima, with cooked shredded chicken, and sliced avocado for presentation. if you use shrimp then it is another recipe.......... also, there shouldn't be cloves and cinnamon in this recipe!

Helen, Hermosillo, Mexico, SO

yesterday I told you that is not Yucatan's soup, so I decided to share the original recipe: Yucatan's Lime Soup Servings: 4 1 sour lime (Green lemons it's ok) 6 corn tortillas, in thin stips 1 chicken breast bone and skin on 4 garlic whole cloves 1/2 small white or yellow onion chopped cilantro 4 lime slices 2 tablespoons oil 3 tablespoons chopped red onion 8 thin avocaco slices In 7 cups of boiling water, cook chicken 15 minutes. As foam rises, take it away with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, add garlic and white onion, and cook 15 minutes more. Turn off heat and add the juice of one lime. Shred cooked chicken in pieces. Meanwhile, in hot oil, in three batches, cook tortillas until golden, put on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve chicken in broth immediately, and sprinkle red onion, cilantro, and tortilla strips. Add two avocado slices as garnish. Have chopped chile or salsa on the side. enjoy This recipe was shared to me by the best Yucatan's restaurant, Los Almendros.

helen, Mexico, Hermosillo, SO

If you're using shrimp...then WHY don't you use shrimp broth? You can either make your own or use shrimp broth base from KNORR which is found at Mexican food aisles everywhere.

Tex-Mex, Dallas, TX

There are no lemons in the Yucatan, only limes :)

Nancy, Cozumel, Mexico, QR

I made this soup with limes, and not the Meyers lemons. The stock was coming along extremely well, then went so bitter I had to throw it out. All I could point to was the lime zest and the amount the recipe indicated. I do not even think I added 1 T because it was hard to get that much. Any comments on what could have gone wrong?

April, phoenix, az