Thai lemongrass coconut soup

---

As a kid growing up in Bulgaria I didn’t have much food-related cultural experiences. The most adventurous my family ever got was eating dumplings and red cabbage in some sort of a sweet sauce (and we all didn’t like it) on a trip to Eastern Germany. In the years to come, as the country changed, our eating habits changed too. As the country opened its doors to new things, some of the first to open restaurants in Bulgaria were the Chinese. Eating Chinese food to me was like a trip to a foreign land – so exotics and delicious that I would have had it every day if I could.

As I moved to the United States in my early twenties, I got exposed to so many different and exciting cuisines and life experiences. I was blown away how a simple thing as a carrot could be cooked in so many ways, with so many different spices and depending on the type of cuisine it could taste totally different. 

Quickly, Thai food became my new favorite cuisine. There is something so fresh and flavorful in the way the food is prepared; the use of lime, cilantro, lemongrass, coconut milk and all the fresh veggies. It is like a sunny summer day for the taste buds. I love it. 

I had always had Thai food at restaurants and I was too afraid to prepare it myself. One day, however, I decided to challenge myself with a very basic recipe for Thai coconut soup. This soup became a favorite of mine and I have modified and improved the recipe over time to match my taste. 

What I love about this particular recipe is that the base is not sweet, but rather fresh and citrusy. It is a versatile base and all the veggies can be substituted with different ones. It could be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, which makes this soup very adaptable. It is a favorite of mine, I hope you love it too.   

Thai lemongrass coconut soup

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 lemongrass stalks, each cut in 4 pieces
• 4 kaffir lime leaves (if available at your market, if not you can substitute for 1/2 lime)
• ½ medium size ginger root, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced in 1-inch long strips
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced in 1-inch long strips
• 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped in 1-inch pieces
• 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder or paste
• cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1 lb mahi-mahi fish, sliced thinly (optional)
or
• 2 lbs boneless chicken breast. sliced thinly (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pot, add the peppers and onions, and lower the heat to medium-high. Sauté for 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add the curry paste/powder, tomatoes and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and ¼ of a lime. Stir gently. Bring the soup to a boil, then set the heat on low and simmer for 15 minutes stirring from time to time. 

2. If using chicken, toss the chicken into the soup and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

If using fish, add the fish and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the fish is soft and tender (be careful to not overcook; fish can easily become tough and chewy if cooked for a long time).

3. Remove the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves from the soup and serve with fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges and steamed rice.

Basic steamed rice recipe:

The rice-to-water ratio is 1:1 1/3. Knowing this you can increase the rice and water amount based on the number of servings.

Makes about 4 cups of rice:
• 1 cup white long rice
• 1 1/3 cups water

Place the rice in a medium sized pot and rinse it over running water about 4-5 times. Add the water. Bring to boil, set the heat to medium-high, and cook for 5 minutes, making sure the water is not boiling over. Set the heat to low and steam for additional 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.

Butternut squash soup with orange and ginger

---

I have never been a big fan of cooked pumpkin. I like the way how pumpkins look – so happy with their orange fall coats, but their taste – not really. One day, a few years ago, I got meningitis. I was so sick that the only thing I could eat was soup. Since I was not in a condition to cook myself, I went to the store and bought several cartons of soup. When I got home, I realized that instead of cream of potato soup I had bought butternut squash soup. I had fever and was very exhausted and with no other food options, in other words, I was stuck with the butternut squash soup. To my surprise, I loved the soup. In fact, I loved it even more than my all-time child favorite, cream of potato soup.

For this recipe, I have spiced up a bit the traditional butternut squash soup with some fresh squeezed orange juice and ginger, which adds a touch of sweetness and spice. I have also topped the soup with small shrimp and lemony sautéed leeks, but they are totally optional.

For all of you who do not have the time and patience to roast their butternut squash – this is a recipe for you. Over time I have learned that not baking the butternut squash is totally ok. The method I use makes the soup as delicious as it could be, and it saves a lot of time.

Give it a try this week and let me know what you think.

 

Butternut squash soup with orange and ginger

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 big (2-3 pounds) butternut squash
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
• 2 large carrots, cut in circles
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• salt and pepper

Optional items:
• ½ cup small (salad) shrimp, cooked
• 1 leek, finely sliced (white part only)

Directions:

Wash the butternut squash really well by gently scrubbing the skin. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into 3-4 equal size pieces. Leave aside. Heat the oil in a large pot. Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the potatoes, carrots and ginger and cook them for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the stock and the water. Add the butternut squash and nestle the pieces, making sure they all are covered with liquid. Bring the pot to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring from time to time, for about 30 minutes or until the flesh of the butternut squash is soft. Remove the soup from the heat. Let it cool for 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, gently remove the butternut squash and place it on a plate. Let it cool for about 20 minutes and scoop out the flesh (leaving the skin out). Place the flesh back into the pot.

If using a standard blender: Puree the soup, working in batches, holding the top of the blender really tight with a kitchen towel.

If using and immersion blender: Place the blender in the pot and puree until the soup becomes smooth.

Add the butter and cream to the pot and stir until the butter is melted. Add the orange and lemon juice. Stir, add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

If serving with leeks and shrimp: Sauté the leeks in a teaspoon of oil for about a minute. While the pan is still hot, add a dash of salt, pepper and squeeze some lemon juice on top. Pour the soup into bowls and top with a few shrimps and a spoonful of the leeks.

Enjoy!

Cream of celery root soup with smoked white fish

---

I love smoked fish, in fact, I go trough periods when I will have it pretty much every day – for months. I will eat it with spring greens and fresh lemon juice, or I will top crackers with a  piece of fish and cilantro dressing and have it as a late night wine snack. 

Last night though, I was craving warm comfy soup and I wanted somehow to incorporate smoked fish into it. I was looking for something elegant and silky rather than the chunky fisherman type of soup. I went on the internet for some inspiration and I came across this recipe. 

I never thought of using an entire head of celery since celery has a very distinct taste, but I gave it a shot. I modified the recipe a bit to match my taste by adding a carrot and an onion, for a full-rounded body, and replaced the trout with white fish, which has a softer meaty texture. The result was a silky and elegant yet homy soup. It became an instant favorite of mine.

Cream of celery root soup with smoked white fish

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 3/4-pound) celery root, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 apple (such as Gala), peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, peeled, trimmed and cut in half
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds (optional)
• 6 ounces of smoked white fish, flaked into pieces
• 1/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• Sprigs of fresh lemon thyme (optional)

Directions:

Combine the first 7 ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 min, or until the celery root is soft when tested with a fork. 

Remove from the heat. 

Using a standard blender: Let the soup cool for about 30 min. Working in bathes, puree soup until very smooth. Return soup to pot and stir butter until melted. Add pepper and salt to taste

Using a hand blender: Place blender into the pot, set to low speed and gently puree until smooth. Taste the soup, if the texture is grainy, continue to puree. Add butter and puree until incorporated into the soup. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Pour the soup into bowls and top with smoked fish and hazelnuts. Add pomegranate seeds and lemon thyme if desired.

Enjoy!