Okay. Here's a soup that's a challenge. But so rewarding. It's always difficult for me to find original and interesting recipes for my vegetarian friends. Oh, there is always fish - salmon and tuna - and we're lucky to have such wonderful crab meat here in Maryland. But when you grow tired of these ingredients and want something a little more special, here's a recipe that combines a soup course with a fish course. And with my usual chewy bread and a green salad, can be a whole meal.
Before this soup, I had never used star anise (a dried spice) as a flavoring agent and was pleased to find that it provides a wonderful and unusual flavor. The recipe suggests layering the shrimp into the soup but you can also drape it over the side of the bowl, like shrimp cocktail. That way, your guests can dunk the shrimp into the soup or eat it plain, as they prefer. Serve this with a dry white wine and a fruity dessert and you'll have a complete, and very satisfying, vegetarian meal.
24 large shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined but leaving tail and first segment of shell intact
1 T finely grated, peeled fresh ginger (peel away the hard outer shell first with a vegetable peeler)
2/3 C chopped shallots
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 whole star anise
2 T unsalted butter
1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes (about 5 cups)
4 C chicken stock (where would we be without that?)
2 C water
1/4 t salt
1 T vegetable oil
1. Toss shrimp with ginger ina bowl and marinate chilled, 30 minutes (but no longer, or the ginger will "cook" the shrimp).
2. Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock and water, and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove star anise.
3. Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch, then transfer toa cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.
4. Sprinkle marinated shrimp with salt. Heat vegetable oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute shrimp in 2 batches, stirring, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels.
5. Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 8 shallow bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl (or, if you're serving strick vegans, drape the shrimp over the sides of the bowl).
Before this soup, I had never used star anise (a dried spice) as a flavoring agent and was pleased to find that it provides a wonderful and unusual flavor. The recipe suggests layering the shrimp into the soup but you can also drape it over the side of the bowl, like shrimp cocktail. That way, your guests can dunk the shrimp into the soup or eat it plain, as they prefer. Serve this with a dry white wine and a fruity dessert and you'll have a complete, and very satisfying, vegetarian meal.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH STAR ANISE
AND GINGER SHRIMP
serves 8
24 large shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined but leaving tail and first segment of shell intact
1 T finely grated, peeled fresh ginger (peel away the hard outer shell first with a vegetable peeler)
2/3 C chopped shallots
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 whole star anise
2 T unsalted butter
1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes (about 5 cups)
4 C chicken stock (where would we be without that?)
2 C water
1/4 t salt
1 T vegetable oil
1. Toss shrimp with ginger ina bowl and marinate chilled, 30 minutes (but no longer, or the ginger will "cook" the shrimp).
2. Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock and water, and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove star anise.
3. Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch, then transfer toa cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.
4. Sprinkle marinated shrimp with salt. Heat vegetable oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute shrimp in 2 batches, stirring, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels.
5. Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 8 shallow bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl (or, if you're serving strick vegans, drape the shrimp over the sides of the bowl).
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