Tag: soup

Brazilian shrimp soup

This past weekend I taught a cooking class on how to make hearty soups and salads that can be eaten as full meals. They are nutritious, filling and make wholesome entrees. Out of all the dishes we prepared, the class unanimously voted for the Brazilian shrimp soup as the most delicious and their favorite. I have not been to Brazil yet, but have been making this recipe for over 10 years. It’s something I found (don’t even remember where) or I could give credit to it’s original creator.

If you want to make it healthier, use brown rice instead of white and lite coconut milk instead of regular. I don’t recommend substituting the coconut milk as it imparts a nice sweet flavor to the soup. To further enhance the flavor, use shrimp stock instead of water. Boil raw shrimp with shells in water for 10 minutes or until cooked. Remove shrimp, peel and keep aside. Strain and reserve stock to use in recipe.

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 8 oz. large cooked shrimp
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 6oz. can tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 14 oz can coconut milk
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large shallow pot. Add bell pepper & onion to the pot & cook till tender (about 10 minutes) over medium heat. Add the tomato puree & cook for 2 more minutes. Then, add the next 3 ingredients & mix well. Add water & bring to a boil. Cover & simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, mix well to make sauce even in color. Add salt & pepper according to taste. Let the sauce heat thoroughly. Slice each shrimp into half, lengthwise, and drop in the sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Tomato, Fennel, and Saffron Soup with Olive Oil–Poached Artichokes

In this recipe, Chef Zouhair Zariri, author of the book, Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World combines two of his favorite ingredients, fennel and artichoke to make a light, healthy soup that combines flavors of East and West. With the chill of fall creeping in, it is the perfect comfort food with a twist.

moorish fusion cuisineServes 6 to 8
Preparation: 25 minutes; Cooking: 1 hour, 30 minutes
 
Ingredients:
4 whole artichokes, cleaned and quartered (leave stem on for presentation)
1 cup olive oil, reserving
1½ tablespoons
2 quarts fennel broth (see recipe below)
1 pinch saffron, toasted
1 shallot, julienned
2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin
1 whole fennel, julienned (reserve top part for stock)
8 organic grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
 
Garnish:
Zest of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley leaves

 

Poach the artichokes as follows. In a small sauce pot, over medium heat, place the artichoke quarters in the olive oil and poach for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the artichokes are tender. Keep warm.

In a medium soup pot, bring the fennel broth to warm, add the toasted saffron, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, allowing the saffron to release all its flavors.

Meanwhile, in a separate soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sweat the shallot and garlic for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the shallot and garlic don’t burn. Add the julienned fennel and cook for a few more minutes. Pour the saffron broth into the mixture and cook for 15 more minutes.

In a small sauté pan, heat ½ tablespoon of oil over high heat and sauté the tomatoes for a few seconds or until their skins start to blister. Add to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into medium bowls and top with artichoke quarters crisscross. Sprinkle with lemon zest and garnish with fresh parsley leaves. Serve immediately.