Garlic Seafood Soup

lin_in_seattle

Well-known member
This recipe was in the Washington Post this last Wednesday. Tried it and it was great! Added about 1/2 shrimp and used two jalapenos. Made a caesar salad to go along with it. I would say it makes 4 servings but just...i'm glad I added the shrimp...next time I'll increase the recipe.

Garlic Seafood Soup

4 servings

This delicious entree soup owes its complex flavor in part to -- of all things -- banana. It breaks down during the cooking, which helps to thicken the broth, but not before bestowing a sweet-sour taste and its fragrance. Speaking of which, there's also a fair amount of garlic, but what do you expect from a grand champion winner of the Gilroy (Calif.) Garlic Festival? Ginger Moreno of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., came up with this recipe for the 2004 festival. Most of the time it requires is for chopping, some or all of which could be done in advance. Serve with crusty bread.

3/4 pound mussels

3/4 pound clams

3/4 pound red snapper fillets (may substitute grouper fillets)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated ginger root (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup finely minced sweet onion (about 1 small onion)

1/2 cup finely minced garlic (about 1 head)

1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, diced

1 small tomato, seeded and diced

2 limes (1 juiced for broth, 1 cut into wedges for garnish)

1/4 cup clam broth

3/4 teaspoon saffron

1 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 small, whole jalapeño chili pepper

1 small banana, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and, if necessary, de-beard the mussels by removing any strings that protrude from the shells. Scrub the clams (if they feel gritty, soak them in salted ice water). Cut the red snapper into 2-inch pieces. Set the seafood aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the ginger, onion and half the garlic, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes fragrant, after about 1 minute, increase the heat to medium-high and add the bell peppers and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cover.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, the clams, mussels and clam broth. Cover the pan and cook for 7 minutes. Discard any clams and mussels that did not open while they cooked.

Add the saffron, coconut milk, red snapper, half the cilantro, the jalapeño chili pepper, banana and the bell-pepper mixture from the skillet, stirring to combine. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the jalapeño and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Per serving: 534 calories, 42 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 14 g saturated fat, 425 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011700238_2.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011700238_2.html

 
Hi Ruth...it's very subtle. If I hadn't known it was there .....>

I'm not sure I would haven't known what gave it the taste, but it once you know it's there, you say, "Oh yeah, right." But as I said, it's very subtle, imo.

 
Thanks for your opinion. This recipe sounds like it is right up my alley...

except I have an aversion to bananas. I'm hoping I can fool myself by sneaking one in, if the flavour is subtle enough ;o)

 
Ruth, I don't see why you can't leave out the banana entirely.

Even though the coconut milk is unsweetened, it adds some sweetness to the soup. Or, you might want to add a small, just ripe, banana. I added one that was medium sized and not brown at all.

 
I'm still on the fence about the banana...

On one hand, I think it might be the "mystery ingredient" that makes the dish...and on the other, I'd hate to make it and end up throwing out the potful! I have a sneaking suspicion that if I ate some with out knowing, I'd be just fine with it, if not love it - lol!

 
Oh RuthAB, a woman after my own detesting...

I too hate banannas, and the only thing I can tolerate them in is bananna bread. You can appreciate this. How they are hidden in pies and creamy fruit salads, I thought I had my bananna antennae honed to perfection, until I ordered some vegetable tempura at my old neighborhood Japanese restaurant. I am happily eating my tempura when I bite into one, and it was a big hunk of bananna, cut on the bias. I decided to swallow it whole and almost choked to death, well, that might be a slight exageration, but yuck!!! lol imho, leave it out!

 
Oh Glory be! And all these years I've kept this shameful secret to myself...

afraid of the social ostracization! I've found a kindred spirit! lol

I have no recollection of this, but apparently I loved them as a baby and my mom lovingly fed them to me (and fed them to me) - until I gagged at their mere presence.

I've tried to eat them as an adult (besides being omnipresent they are also so darned good for you) but - no go!

Meanwhile, on the fence I'm sitting.......

 
Then don't risk it!!! I don't think it absolutely makes this soup! I think

there's a trend these days to add something a little different...such as yams and sweet potatoes where they've never gone before just for the effect. (Okay, I admit it, I yam not a sweet potato fan.) smileys/tongue.gif

 
Lol - that may be true but you've been sweet ;o) And I think ...

I'll heed your advice and finally get off the fence - getting uncomfortable up there anyway!

 
I love bananas but they are not that good for me...

they are high in carbs and, I believe, the highest fruit in sugar. I can't eat them due to my diabetes so don't think you are doing your body a great injustice from refraining from eating them.

 
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