Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [96]
Add the onions, carrots, celery, thyme, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, covered, until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
Variations: Substitute any of the following for the carrots: 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds; ¾ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch sections; ¾ pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; or ¾ pound turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Mexican Lime Soup
In the Yucatán, lime soup is something of a passion: tart, refreshing, and satisfying. Have lots of tortillas on hand. Makes 6 servings
6 cups (1½ quarts) chicken broth
8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed with the side of a knife
2 medium onions, cut into quarters
2 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed, quartered, cored, and seeded
4 whole cloves
1½ pounds medium shrimp (about 35 per pound), peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
¼ cup lime juice
Kosher or coarse-grained salt for garnish
Bring the broth, garlic, onions, jalapeños, and cloves to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot set over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.
Place a colander, sieve, or other larger strainer over a large bowl set in the sink. Working in batches as necessary, ladle and/or pour the soup through the mesh, discarding the vegetables and aromatics as the basket fills up. Return the soup to the pan or pot; bring to a low simmer over medium-high heat.
Stir in the shrimp, cilantro, and lime juice. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle a little salt over each serving.
Variations: Substitute sea scallops, cleaned and thinly sliced into 2 disks, for the shrimp.
Substitute cubed firm or silken-firm tofu for the shrimp; do not simmer—simply cook to heat through, about 2 minutes.
Omit the shrimp; add 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded, with the cilantro and lime juice. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, until the mussels open. Discard any that do not.
Omit the shrimp; add the cilantro and lime juice as directed. Place 2/3 cup cubed cooked skinless chicken or turkey meat in each bowl; ladle the soup over the meat.
Shrimp and Scallop Chowder
Roasting the corn gives this soup extra flavor; the grated potato thickens it to give it an earthy taste without a lot of added cream. Makes 6 servings
4 ears corn
½ pound medium shrimp (about 35 per pound) in their shells
3 large onions, quartered
3 garlic cloves
5 cups (1 quart plus 1 cup) vegetable broth
½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium baking potato (about 8 ounces), peeled
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound bay scallops, cleaned
¼ cup packed parsley leaves, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Peel the husks back about two-thirds of the way down each corn ear. Remove the silks, then pull the husks back up and into place around the ears. Soak in cool water for 20 minutes.
Preheat a grill pan or a griddle over medium-high heat or heat a stovetop grill to medium-high heat. Alternatively, prepare a gas barbecue for high-heat cooking or build a high-heat, well-ashed coal bed in a charcoal grill. Place the ears in their husks in the pan or on the grill grate; cook until the husks steam and have definite char marks, turning several times, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells separately. Peel and quarter 2 onions; set them aside.
Peel the husks off the corn, then cut each ear in half. Stand them on a cutting board, cut side down, and slice off the corn by running a large knife along the cob, thereby shaving off the individual kernels. Set the kernels aside.
Place the cobs, shrimp shells, quartered onions, garlic, broth, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large saucepan or soup pot. Set it over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Skim any foam or impurities off the top of the soup.
Working in batches as necessary, strain the soup