Thai Coconut Soup With Shrimp

Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp

Laced with ginger, lime and fish sauce, this weeknight-easy recipe is a version of tom kha goong, a brothy, aromatic coconut soup. To make tom kha gai, swap in 3 cups shredded cooked chicken for the shrimp.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like vegetable or canola
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 inches piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (2 Tbsp.)
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
1 small green chile*, such as Serrano or Thai, finely chopped   

   optional
1 tablespoon lime zest
⅓ cup lime juice
Cilantro, for garnish
Lime wedges

Directions

Heat the oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and salt, raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the coconut milk, shrimp, mushrooms, brown sugar, fish sauce, and chile, if using, stirring to combine. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender and the shrimp is opaque and cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not allow the soup to boil once the coconut milk has been added.) 

Add the lime zest and lime juice.

Serve the soup garnished with sprigs of cilantro and a lime wedge.

Variation: With Chicken Follow the instructions as directed, except use 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (from one supermarket rotisserie chicken) instead of the shrimp. In step 3, simmer until the mushrooms are tender and the chicken is warmed through, about 3 minutes.

Red Mountain Quinoa Rissotto

Red Mountain Quinoa Risotto

This Quinoa Risotto is adapted from Red Mountain. It is served on its own or a half portion as an accompani-ment to fish or chicken. The truffle oil is to give a mouthfull of richness when you eat the risotto.  LCBO

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped garlic
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) arborio rice
½ cup (125 mL) Chardonnay or other white wine
3 to 4 cups (750 mL to 1 L) hot vegetable stock or 

    water
¼ cup (50 mL) each shiitake and oyster mushrooms, 

   slivered.
1 cup (250 mL) baby spinach
½ cup (125 mL) red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup (125 mL) edamame beans or peas
1 cup (250 mL) cooked quinoa   (combine ¼ cup/50 mL   

   raw quinoa with ½ cup/125 mL water and simmer 

   covered for 15 minutes.

¼ cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons (10 mL) white truffle oil

Directions:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until softened. Add dry rice and continue to sauté for 4 minutes or until the rice is lightly browned.

Deglaze the pan with wine and continue cooking until the liquid is evaporated. Add the vegetable stock, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, stirring often, until the rice is cooked.

Add in the remaining vegetables and cooked quinoa, along with another splash of stock. Stir until they are fully incorporated and the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season to taste.

Serve hot with a small drizzle of white truffle oil.