The fun and excitement of the holidays is in the rear-view mirror and it’s time to forge ahead into the new year. And also to be prepared for wintery weather, i.e. cold with a lot less sunshine, in our region of the country. My preferred way of combatting the winter doldrums that hit at this time of year is by having lots of hearty, healthy, and comforting food on the menu. That means lots of soup and stew recipes on hand and making big batches of good food!
I’ll start off this new year with a full-bodied, yet mildly spiced tomato soup. It gets some sweetness and depth from roasted red peppers and a bit of a kick from fresh ginger and a jalapeno pepper. The herbed mushrooms also get a flavor boost with the addition of lime zest. Adding shrimp to the mix provides another source of protein for the dish. We like it as a soup to be served with crusty bread, but it can also be served as a stew over steamed rice.
Shrimp & ‘Shroom Bisque
Shrimp & ‘Shroom Bisque (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 14-ounces whole peeled tomatoes
- 12-ounces (about 1 cup) roasted red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 8 ounces mixed fresh mushrooms, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 2 shallots, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 13-ounces coconut milk
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- mixed fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, basil, and dill for serving
- crusty bread or steamed rice, for serving if desired
Directions:
Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices along with the roasted red peppers to a food processor and purée until smooth.
Puree the tomatoes and roasted peppers together.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook without stirring until they are lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Cook the mushrooms.
Add the garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Move the mushroom mixture to a bowl. Season with salt and stir in a drizzle of oil. Add the lime zest, scallions, and herbs to the mushrooms. Toss and set aside.
Add the lime zest, scallions, and herbs to the mushrooms.
Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pot and heat it over medium heat. Sauté the shallots until they are softened and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Sauté the shallots.
Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste to the shallots.
Stir in the puréed tomato mixture, coconut milk, jalapeno pepper, and 1 cup of water. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your spatula to remove any paste stuck to the bottom. Simmer, uncovered, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to reduce slightly, about 20 minutes. Season with salt.
Add the puréed tomato mixture, coconut milk, jalapeno pepper, and 1 cup of water to the Dutch oven.
Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard the jalapeno.
Add the shrimp to the bisque.
Divide the soup and shrimp among bowls. Top the soup with spoonfuls of the mushroom mixture. Serve with bread or to serve as a stew, serve over steamed rice.
Serve the bisque with the mushroom and herb mixture.
2024 is off to a great start! ~Linda
Shrimp & ‘Shroom Bisque (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 14-ounces whole peeled tomatoes
- 12-ounces (about 1 cup) roasted red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 8 ounces mixed fresh mushrooms, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 2 shallots, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 13-ounces coconut milk
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- mixed fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, basil and dill for serving
- crusty bread or steamed rice, for serving if desired
Directions:
Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices along with the roasted red peppers to a food processor and purée until smooth.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook without stirring until they are lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Move the mushroom mixture to a bowl. Season with salt and stir in a drizzle of oil. Add the lime zest, scallions, and herbs to the mushrooms. Toss and set aside.
Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pot and heat it over medium heat. Sauté the shallots until they are softened and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Stir in the puréed tomato mixture, coconut milk, jalapeno pepper, and 1 cup of water. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your spatula to remove any paste stuck to the bottom. Simmer, uncovered, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to reduce slightly, about 20 minutes. Season with salt.
Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard the jalapeno.
Divide the soup and shrimp among bowls. Top the soup with spoonfuls of the mushroom mixture. Serve with bread or to serve as a stew, serve over steamed rice.