FISH & SHELLFISH SOUPS - I Love Soup: More Than 100 of the World's Most Delicious and Nutritious Recipes - Beverly LeBlanc

I Love Soup: More Than 100 of the World's Most Delicious and Nutritious Recipes - Beverly LeBlanc (2016)

FISH & SHELLFISH SOUPS

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Seafood soups range from simple to extravagant, but they all have an essential common feature: for optimum results they must contain the freshest, best-quality fish and shellfish.

This chapter features global recipes with varied flavours and textures. Bouillabaisse and Soupe de Poissons capture the flavours of the Mediterranean, while New England Clam Chowder is an all-American favourite. From Asia, Teriyaki Salmon Ramen is a meal in a bowl, and Elegant Japanese Scallop Soup and Mackerel in Chilli-Lime Broth are stylish recipes for special occasions. You’ll also find soups from the Caribbean, the Aegean, Spain, Scotland and the North Sea harbours of Scandinavia.

Top-quality seafood is generally an expensive ingredient, but for a purse-friendly treat try Prawn Bisque. If you plan ahead and remember to freeze prawn/shrimp heads and shells from other recipes, this rich, sophisticated soup is almost free to make.

SOUPE DE POISSONS

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PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus making the stock, croûtes and rouille

COOKING TIME 1 hour

3 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 large tomatoes, chopped

6 tbsp long-grain white rice

900g/2lb mixed fish, such as grey mullet, haddock and monkfish, heads removed, gutted, scaled and trimmed but not boned

250g/9oz large raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the heads and shells reserved

4 tbsp dry white wine

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

1 bouquet garni made with 1 piece of celery stalk with its leaves, 1 bay leaf and several parsley and thyme sprigs tied together

1 long strip of orange zest, all bitter white pith removed

a pinch of saffron threads

3 tbsp tomato purée/paste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

1 recipe quantity Croûtes (see page 17), hot

40g/1½oz/⅓ cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 recipe quantity Rouille (see page 18)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and tomatoes and fry for 3 minutes, then add the rice, fish and prawns/shrimp, including the heads and shells. Stir in the wine and cook for 30 seconds-1 minute until evaporated. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and bring to the boil, then skim. Stir in the bouquet garni, orange zest, saffron and tomato purée/paste. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes until the fish comes off the bones and is starting to fall apart.

Discard the bouquet garni and blend the soup, including the bones and prawn/shrimp trimmings. Work the soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down with a spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Rub back and forth with a spoon and scrape the bottom of the sieve. Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan and reheat. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary.

Divide the croûtes into bowls and top with the cheese. Ladle the soup into the bowls and serve immediately with the rouille for stirring in at the table.

BOUILLABAISSE

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PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus making the stock, croûtes and rouille

COOKING TIME 40 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced

1 leek, thinly sliced and rinsed

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp aniseed-flavoured spirit

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12)

500ml/18fl oz/2¼ cups passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)

2 large pinches of saffron threads

12 live mussels, scrubbed, with ‘beards’ removed and soaked in cold water

900g/2lb mixed fish, such as sea bass, halibut, or red or grey mullet, heads removed, gutted and scaled and trimmed as necessary, boned and cut into large chunks

500g/1lb 2oz large raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 recipe quantities Croûtes (see page 17), to serve

1½ recipe quantities Rouille (see page 18), to serve

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the fennel, leek and onion and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1-3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the spirit and cook for 2-4 minutes until almost evaporated, then add the stock, passata and saffron and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, calculate the cooking time for the fish at 10 minutes per 2.5cm/1in of thickness. Discard any mussels with broken shells or open ones that do not close when tapped. Add the mussels to the pan and cook, covered, for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until all the shells open. Remove the mussels from the pan and set aside. Discard any closed mussels.

Add the fish to the pan and simmer for the calculated time until all the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. If necessary, add the fish in stages, starting with the thickest pieces. Three minutes before the end of the calculated cooking time, add the prawns/shrimp and cook until they curl and turn pink. Return the mussels in their shells to the pan and adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with croûtes spread with rouille on the side.

AEGEAN RED MULLET SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus preparing the tomatoes

COOKING TIME 30 minutes

1½ tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 leek, halved lengthways, sliced and rinsed

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 tbsp aniseed-flavoured spirit, such as Pernod

450g/1lb red mullet, heads and tails removed, gutted, scaled, rinsed and cut into serving pieces on the bone

2 large tomatoes, grated (see page 10)

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp tomato purée/paste

grated zest of 1 orange

a pinch of saffron threads

a small pinch of dried chilli/hot pepper flakes

2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic, leek, carrot, celery and fennel, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the aniseed spirit, increase the heat to high and cook for 30 seconds-1 minute until evaporated.

Add the fish and 1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to just below the boil, then skim. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, orange juice, tomato purée/paste, orange zest, saffron and chilli/ hot pepper flakes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Stir in the parsley and adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary, then serve.

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MEDITERRANEAN SWORDFISH SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 40 minutes

3 tbsp olive oil

1 celery stalk, very finely chopped

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 can (400g/14oz) chopped tomatoes

240ml/8fl oz/1 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp brined or salted capers, rinsed

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

500g/1lb 2oz swordfish steaks

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery and onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and fry for 1-3 minutes until the onion is softened but not coloured, then add the tomatoes, wine and capers and cook for 8 minutes, stirring to break up the tomatoes.

Add the stock, lemon juice, oregano and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Calculate the swordfish’s cooking time at 10 minutes per 2.5cm/1in of thickness, then add it to the soup and simmer, covered, for the calculated time until the swordfish flakes easily. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove the fish from the soup and discard any skin or bones, then flake or cut into large pieces. Divide the swordfish into bowls, ladle the soup over it and serve immediately.

SMOKED HADDOCK & SWEET POTATO CHOWDER

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PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 35 minutes

2 slices of streaky bacon, rinds removed and meat chopped

½ tbsp sunflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp plain white/all-purpose flour

400ml/14fl oz/1¾ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

1 large sweet potato, peeled and finely diced

400g/14oz undyed smoked haddock

240ml/8fl oz/1 cup whole milk

150ml/5fl oz/⅔ cup single/light cream

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

cayenne pepper, to taste

salt and ground white pepper

chopped parsley leaves, to serve

Put the bacon in a saucepan over a high heat and fry for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the oil and onion to the pan and fry for 3-5 minutes until the onion is softened. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes, then add the stock, stirring continuously.

Add the sweet potatoes and season with white pepper. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the potato is just soft.

Calculate the haddock’s cooking time at 10 minutes per 2.5cm/1in of thickness. Add the fish, flesh-side down, and the milk and simmer until the flesh flakes easily. Remove the fish and set aside. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Do not boil.

Skin and bone the fish, then flake it into the soup. Add the bacon, cream, nutmeg and cayenne pepper, then season with salt and return to just below the boil. Adjust the pepper, if necessary, and serve sprinkled with parsley.

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HADDOCK & PEA SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 30 minutes

750ml/26fl oz/3¼ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

400ml/14fl oz/1¾ cups double/heavy cream

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

finely grated zest of ½ lemon

a pinch of ground cardamom

400g/14oz haddock fillet

200g/7oz/1¼ cups frozen peas

salt and freshly ground black pepper

smoked paprika, to serve

Put the stock, cream, garlic, bay leaf, lemon zest and cardamom in a saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Calculate the haddock’s cooking time at 10 minutes per 2.5cm/1in of thickness. Add the haddock and simmer, covered, for the calculated time until it is cooked through and flakes easily. Five minutes before the end of the calculated cooking time, add the peas and simmer, uncovered. Remove the haddock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Discard the bay leaf.

Bring the soup to the boil and boil for 1-2 minutes until the peas are very soft. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half the peas to a bowl. Blend the soup until smooth, and rub it through a sieve for an even smoother texture, if you like. Return the peas to the pan. Remove the skin and any small bones from the fish and flake it into large pieces into the soup. Reheat and adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve very lightly sprinkled with paprika.

CREAM OF SMOKED TROUT SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus making the stock and toasting the seeds

COOKING TIME 30 minutes

250ml/9fl oz/1 cup + 1 tbsp whole milk

2 parsley sprigs, stalks crushed

1 bay leaf

875ml/30fl oz/3¾ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

400g/14oz skinless hot-smoked trout fillets with all small bones removed

1 large onion, chopped

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

white sesame seeds, toasted (see page 10)

black sesame seeds

chives

Put the milk, parsley and bay leaf in a small saucepan and bring to just below the boil. Cover and set aside to infuse.

Put the stock, trout, onion and sweet potato in another saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to just below the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the potato is tender. Remove about one-quarter of the trout and set aside.

Blend the soup until smooth. Slowly strain in enough of the infused milk to achieve the preferred consistency. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary, but remember the trout might be salty. Divide the soup into bowls and flake the reserved trout over it. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds and chives.

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TERIYAKI SALMON RAMEN

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PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus making the dashi, stock and seeds and at least 30 minutes marinating

COOKING TIME 20 minutes

750g/1lb 10oz salmon fillet, small bones removed, cut into serving portions

5 tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1l/35fl oz/4½ cups Dashi (see page 13) or prepared instant dashi

1l/35fl oz/4½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

5cm/2in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 long red chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced

5 shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

100g/3½oz/¾ cup pickled preserved bamboo shoots

4 tsp toasted sesame oil

500g/1lb 2oz ramen noodles

1 large handful of bean sprouts, rinsed

sesame seeds, toasted (see page 10), to serve

torn coriander/cilantro leaves, to serve

Put the salmon on a plate, add the teriyaki sauce and rub it all over with your hands. Cover and chill for 30 minutes-2 hours. When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator and heat a frying pan over a high heat until a splash of water ‘dances’ on the surface. Add the sesame oil to the pan and swirl around. Add the salmon, skin-side down, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, to cook the noodles, fill a large saucepan three-quarters full of water and bring to the boil. Ramen noodles froth up so the pan needs to be very large.

Put the dashi and stock in another saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the ginger, garlic, chillies, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and half the toasted sesame oil. Cover and keep warm while the noodles cook.

Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, or according to the package instructions. For the last minute of the cooking time, add the bean sprouts to the other pan to soften slightly. Drain, then divide the noodles into bowls. Divide the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts into the bowls, then add the salmon pieces. Ladle the soup over and serve sprinkled with the remaining toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds and coriander/cilantro.

PRAWN BISQUE

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PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 50 minutes

3 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive or hemp oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

heads and shells from 600g/1lb 5oz raw prawns/shrimp, with 12 of the prawns/shrimp deveined and reserved (the remaining prawns/ shrimp can be frozen to use in other recipes)

2 tbsp brandy

1 can (400g/14oz) chopped tomatoes

4 tbsp dry vermouth

1 tbsp tomato purée/paste

1.4l/48fl oz/6 cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

6 tbsp long-grain white rice

1 bay leaf

a pinch of dried chilli/hot pepper flakes, or to taste

½ tbsp salt, plus extra to season

1-2 tbsp lemon juice, to taste

1 tbsp chopped dill

freshly ground black pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, carrot and celery and fry, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the shallots are light golden brown. Add the prawn/shrimp shells and heads and pound them into the vegetables with a wooden spoon. Add the brandy, cook for 2-4 minutes until evaporated, then add the tomatoes, vermouth and tomato purée/paste. Bring to the boil and boil for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock, rice and bay leaf, cover and return to the boil. Skim, add the chilli/hot pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-18 minutes until the rice is tender.

Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the salt. Reduce the heat, add the prawns/ shrimp and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink. Drain, cut in half lengthways and set aside.

Blend the soup until smooth, then work it through a sieve into a bowl, rubbing back and forth with a spoon and scraping the bottom of the sieve. Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan, add the lemon juice and reheat.

Melt the remaining butter in the small pan. Add the prawns/shrimp and dill and toss together just to warm through. Do not overcook. Adjust the salt and pepper and add extra lemon juice, if necessary. Divide the prawns/shrimp into bowls, ladle the soup over them and serve with lemon wedges.

PRAWN LAKSA

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 50 minutes

500ml/18fl oz/2¼ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

1kg/2¼lb large raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined, with heads and shells reserved

½ tsp salt

1 large handful of bean sprouts

12 coriander/cilantro sprigs, leaves and stalks coarsely chopped, plus extra chopped leaves to serve

5 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 bird’s-eye chilli, deseeded (optional) and chopped

1 lemongrass stick, chopped, with outer leaves removed

4cm/1½in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp shrimp paste

½ tsp turmeric

4 tbsp groundnut/peanut or sunflower oil

1l/35fl oz/4½ cups coconut milk

1 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste

1 tbsp lime juice, or to taste

250g/9oz medium ready-to-eat rice noodles

Put the stock, prawn/shrimp heads and shells and salt in a saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Put the bean sprouts in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the laksa paste, put the coriander/cilantro, garlic, chilli, lemongrass, ginger, shrimp paste and turmeric in a mini food processor and blend until a paste forms. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and blend again, then set aside.

Strain the stock through a muslin-lined/cheesecloth-lined sieve and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the paste and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn and add a little of the simmering stock if necessary. Stir in the stock, coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice and bring to the boil, stirring. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the prawns/shrimp and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they curl and turn pink. Drain the bean sprouts and add them and the noodles to the soup and cook for 30 seconds to warm through. Adjust the fish sauce and lime juice, if necessary. Serve sprinkled with coriander/cilantro.

PRAWN BALL SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 25 minutes, plus making the dashi and at least 15 minutes chilling

COOKING TIME 25 minutes

400g/14oz raw prawns/shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped, with heads and shells reserved

1 small egg, beaten

1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch

1 recipe quantity Dashi (see page 13) or

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups prepared instant dashi

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sesame oil

coriander/cilantro leaves or baby shiso leaves, to serve

very finely julienned zest of 1 lemon, to serve

Put the prawns/shrimp in a bowl and use your fingers to gradually incorporate the egg to make a sticky paste - you might not need all the egg. Sprinkle in the cornflour/cornstarch, mix again and shape into a loose ball. ‘Throw’ this ball against the inside of the bowl several times to soften the mixture and help it stick together more, then cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the dashi and prawn/shrimp heads and shells in a saucepan. Cover and bring to just below the boil, then reduce the heat to very low (use a heat diffuser if you have one) and simmer while you prepare the prawn balls. Do not boil.

Divide the salt between two saucepans of water, cover and bring each to the boil. Put the prawn ball on a plate and sprinkle with the sesame oil, letting the excess slide onto the plate - this makes it easier to roll the mixture. Divide the mixture into 36 portions.

Roll the portions into balls. Divide them between the two pans of slowly boiling water and boil gently for 1½-2 minutes until they float to the surface. Remove from the water and set aside.

Strain the dashi into one of the rinsed-out pans and return to just below the boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, add the prawn balls and warm through. Divide the balls into bowls, ladle the soup over them and serve topped with coriander/cilantro and lemon zest.

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SCANDINAVIAN SALMON & PRAWN SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus making the stock and preparing the tomato

COOKING TIME 30 minutes

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp sunflower oil

½ leek, halved lengthways, thinly sliced and rinsed

1 floury/russet potato, peeled and chopped

1 large ripe tomato, peeled (see page 10), deseeded and finely chopped

400g/14oz skinless salmon fillet, any small bones removed

1l/35fl oz/4½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

1 bay leaf

a pinch of cayenne pepper

a pinch of ground cardamom

250g/9oz medium raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tbsp chopped dill

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the leek, potato and tomato, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not coloured. Meanwhile, calculate the salmon’s cooking time at 10 minutes per 2.5cm/1in of thickness.

Add the stock, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and cardamom and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the salmon and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes less than the calculated time.

Stir in the prawns/shrimp and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and curl and the salmon flakes easily. If the prawns/shrimp are cooked before the salmon remove them from the pan and set aside. Discard the bay leaf, then stir in the dill and return the prawns/shrimp, if necessary. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.

THAI HOT-AND-SOUR SOUP WITH PRAWNS

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes

COOKING TIME 20 minutes

4 lemongrass sticks, cut into 3 pieces and lightly crushed, with outer leaves removed

4 coriander/cilantro sprigs, including roots and stalks, cut in half, plus extra chopped leaves to serve

6 kaffir lime leaves, torn

12 button mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp salt

24 large raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

1-2 bird’s-eye chillies, deseeded (optional) and diagonally sliced

lime wedges, to serve

Bring 1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups water to the boil in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, coriander/ cilantro, lime leaves, mushrooms and salt and boil, covered, for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, add the prawns/shrimp and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and curl. Immediately stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and chillies. Discard the lemongrass and coriander/cilantro. Serve sprinkled with coriander/cilantro leaves and with lime wedges for squeezing over.

CARIBBEAN CALLALOO

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PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 40 minutes

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut/peanut oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

600g/1lb 5oz callaloo greens or spinach, chopped

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups Chicken Stock (see page 12)

800ml/28fl oz/3½ cups coconut milk

400g/14oz floury potatoes, peeled and chopped

350g/12oz shelled white crabmeat

salt and freshly ground black pepper

paprika and hot pepper sauce, to serve

Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and fry for 1-3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the greens and stir for 5 minutes until they wilt, then remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the stock, coconut milk and potatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Return the greens to the pan and simmer for 5-8 minutes until they are tender. Stir in the crabmeat and simmer for 3 minutes until cooked. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and serve sprinkled with paprika and with hot pepper sauce on the side.

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CRAB & ASPARAGUS SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 25 minutes

2 tbsp arrowroot

1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups Chicken Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

1 tbsp fish sauce

½ tsp salt, plus extra to season

350g/12oz/2½ cups trimmed asparagus cut into bite-size pieces, with the tips reserved

1 egg

175g/6oz shelled white crabmeat, thawed if frozen, picked over and flaked

ground white pepper

toasted sesame oil, to drizzle

Put the arrowroot and 2 tablespoons of the stock in a bowl and mix until smooth, then set aside. Put the remaining stock in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour the arrowroot mixture into the stock, whisking continuously, then bring to just below the boil, stirring. Stir in the fish sauce and salt, reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the soup thickens slightly.

Add the asparagus stalks and simmer for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus tips and simmer for another 3-5 minutes until all the asparagus is tender but still has a little bite. Return the soup to the boil.

Meanwhile, beat the egg in a heatproof bowl, add a ladleful of the hot stock and whisk together.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg mixture in a steady stream into the middle of the soup with one hand while beating continuously in a circular motion with a chopstick or fork in the other hand until long, thin strands of egg form. Stir in the crab and cook over a very low heat for 2-3 minutes until the crabmeat is heated through. Season with salt and white pepper and serve immediately drizzled with sesame oil.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

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PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes

COOKING TIME 50 minutes

55g/2oz/⅓ cup diced unsmoked streaky bacon

2 tbsp butter

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp plain white/all-purpose flour

600ml/20fl oz/2½ cups whole milk

400g/14oz floury/russet potatoes, peeled and diced

48 live littleneck clams, rinsed and soaked in cold water to cover

2 tsp dried thyme leaves

600ml/20fl oz/2½ cups single/light cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

cayenne pepper, to serve

oyster crackers, to serve (optional)

Put the bacon in a saucepan over a high heat and fry, stirring, for 5-8 minutes until it crisps and gives off its fat. Remove it from the pan and set aside.

Melt the butter in the fat remaining in the pan. Stir in the celery and onions, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Increase the heat to medium, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes, then slowly add the milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to just below the boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, discard any clams with broken shells or open ones that do not close when tapped. Shuck the clams over a bowl to catch the juices. Discard the shells and chop the clams, then stir them with the juices, thyme and bacon into the soup.

Cover and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the cream and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the clams are cooked through. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary, then serve sprinkled with cayenne pepper and with oyster crackers on the side, if you like.

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SAFFRON-SCENTED MUSSEL SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 45 minutes

1l/35fl oz/4½ cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

a large pinch of saffron threads

1.25kg/2¾lb live mussels, scrubbed, with ‘beards’ removed and soaked in cold water to cover

3 tbsp olive or hemp oil

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, sliced

1 leek, halved lengthways, sliced and rinsed

150ml/5fl oz/⅔ cup dry white wine

1 bouquet garni made with 1 bay leaf, 1 parsley sprig, 1 rosemary sprig and 1 thyme sprig tied together

lemon juice, to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the stock and saffron in a saucepan, cover and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for the flavours to blend.

Discard any cracked mussels or open ones that do not close when tapped. Put the mussels and 240ml/8fl oz/1 cup water in another saucepan and cook, covered, over a medium heat for 5-8 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they all open. Strain the cooking liquid through a muslin-lined/cheesecloth-lined sieve, then add it to the saffron-flavoured stock. Set the mussels aside until cool enough to handle, then discard any that are still closed. Remove the mussels from the shells and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in the rinsed-out pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, fennel and leek and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are softened but not coloured. Add the stock, white wine and bouquet garni and season with salt. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Discard the bouquet garni and stir the mussels into the soup to warm through - take care not to overcook or they will toughen. Adjust the salt and pepper and add lemon juice, if necessary, then serve.

ELEGANT JAPANESE SCALLOP SOUP

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PREPARATION TIME 5 minutes, plus making the dashi

COOKING TIME 10 minutes

1 recipe quantity Dashi (see page 13) or 1.25l/44fl oz/5½ cups prepared instant dashi

4 tsp soy sauce or tamari soy sauce

2 tsp sake or dry sherry

½ tsp salt, plus extra to season

1 large shelled queen scallop for each bowl, coral removed and reserved and each scallop cut into 3 equal horizontal slices

shiso or coriander/cilantro leaves, to serve

grated yuzu or lemon zest, to serve

Put the dashi, soy sauce, sake and salt in a saucepan. Cover and bring to just below the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Adjust the salt, if necessary.

Arrange the scallop slices and coral in bowls and ladle the soup over them. Add a shiso leaf to each, sprinkle with yuzu zest and serve.

MACKEREL IN CHILLI-LIME BROTH

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PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes, plus making the stock

COOKING TIME 25 minutes

1.4l/48fl oz/6 cups Fish Stock (see page 12) or ready-made stock

6 kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed

2.5cm/1in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced

2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

400g/14oz mackerel fillets

finely grated zest of 1 lime

freshly ground black pepper

shiso leaves or coriander/cilantro leaves, to serve

lime wedges, to serve

Put the stock, lime leaves, ginger, chilli, soy sauce and fish sauce in a saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mackerel and simmer, covered, for 2-3 minutes until the fillets flake easily. Remove the mackerel from the pan and remove the skin.

Flake the fish into the soup, add the lime zest and season with pepper. Serve topped with shiso leaves and with lime wedges for squeezing over.