Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup
1/2 lb cooked large shrimp in shells
2 stalks lemon grass
6 1/4 cups vegetable stock
2 slices ginger, peeled
4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1/4 cup nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic,
very finely chopped
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 fresh red chili, seeded,
cut into thin strips
4 oz oyster mushrooms, sliced
cilantro sprigs, to garnish
Peel shrimp.
Reserve shrimp and put shells
into a large saucepan.
Lightly crush lemon grass
and add to pan with stock,
ginger and lime leaves,
if using. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Strain into a clean saucepan,
discarding shrimp shells and herbs.
Add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic,
shallots, chili and mushrooms to pan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and
simmer 5 minutes. Add peeled shrimp
and cook 1 minute, to heat through.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Sugar Snap Pea Soup
1 bunch of scallions
1/4 cup butter
1 lb sugar snap peas
6 oz potatoes, diced
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2/3 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
salt
freshly ground pepper
shredded scallion, to garnish
Chop scallions. Melt butter in a large saucepan over
medium heat. Add chopped scallions and peas and cook,
stirring, 2 minutes or until beginning to soften.
Add potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat,
cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Puree soup in a blender or food processor. Press
through a strainer and return to rinsed-out pan.
Stir half-and-half into soup. Add tarragon,
season with salt and pepper and reheat gently
without boiling. Garnish with shredded scallion and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
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Light Vegetable Soup
3 3/4 cups vegetable stock,
made from vegetable trimmings
or bouillon cube
2 carrots
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced
button mushrooms
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons small
pasta shells salt, pepper,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Bring stock to a boil in
a medium-size saucepan.
With the pointed end of
a potato peeler, cut grooves
down carrots. Cut into thin slices.
Add to stock with celery, mushrooms,
peas and pasta. Bring to a boil;
reduce heat. Cover pan; simmer
about 15 minutes, or until pasta
and vegetables are just tender
to the bite. Season with salt
and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.
Makes 4 servings.
Italian Meatball Soup
MEATBALLS:
6 oz very lean ground beef
1 small egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh bread crumbs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 pinch grated nutmeg
SOUP:
3 3/4 cups beef consommé
1 tablespoon butter
1 large carrot, julienned in thin matchstick strips
1 leek, shredded
1 small turnip, julienned in thin matchstick strips
salt to taste
pepper to taste
To prepare meatballs, in a medium-size bowl, combine
all meatball ingredients. With dampened hands, roll ground beef
in 16 small walnut-size balls. Bring a pan of water to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer and drop in meatballs. Gently cook 10 minutes.
Remove meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In a large saucepan, combine 2/3 cup of consommé, butter and
vegetables. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes.
Add remaining consommé and meatballs. Bring to a boil and
simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until meatballs are reheated.
Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings.
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