Sunday, October 5, 2008

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's second episode in Brazil
This recipe from Food & Wine
and tomatoes, onion, and garlic from our CSA


Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup long-grain rice
  • 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (from one 15-ounce can)
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and cut in half horizontally
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Instructions:
  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the rice, red-pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring back to a simmer and then stir in the shrimp. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just done, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, lemon juice, and parsley.

Recipe Notes:
  • Coconut milk’s rich flavor will keep you coming back for more of this substantial soup. A true Brazilian version would include slices of okra, but ours is already so satisfyingly thick that we left it out.
  • Variation: Instead of the shrimp, use one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about three), cut crosswise into quarter-inch strips. Cook for the same amount of time.
  • The sweet elements here call for a somewhat assertive sweetness in the wine as well. A Vouvray demi-sec, from France's Loire Valley, ought to strike just the right balance.

My Notes:
Wow, I can't believe I made this! It was so delicious. If I tasted this at a restaurant, I would never think I could make it at home. I continue to be surprised at how the Brazilian recipes have the same flavors as Southeast Asian cuisine.
I used two CSA tomatoes in place of the canned tomatoes. I used 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper since we love spicy food; if you don't, use a scant 1/4 teaspoon and you should be fine.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10


Next week on The Amazing Race: Bolivia (Does anyone have any Bolivian recipes??)

15 comments:

weezermonkey said...

That looks and sounds amazing! It has finally begun to cool down here. This soup is exactly what I want to eat right now!

Anonymous said...

This sounds awesome! I love shrimp, and am always happy to find new ways to use it. I love soups too so this sounds perfect!

Cate said...

This looks great! I haven't explored Brazillian cuisine yet but this looks like a perfect starting point!

Jaime said...

this looks delicious! it looks very similar to the thai dish of tom ka gai

Sarah said...

This looks so delicious - can't wait to read about the Bolivian recipe!

Anonymous said...

This sounds so good! I love shrimp and it's always nice to see new ways to cook with it. I will definitely have to try this!

Insomniac said...

Hmm... I think I might make this tonight. You rock LB!

Anonymous said...

Yet another recipe with coconut milk. I have yet to try it, but this recipe will make me try it!

Love spicy - thanks!

gaga said...

This soup looks so amazing. I really, really want to try this some day.

EJW said...

We made this tonight and it was excellent. My only variation is that I used black Japonica rice, mostly because we had half a package in the cabinet that I wanted to use up. It turned everything purple! So it looked kind of silly and not nearly as good as your picture, but it tasted great. We'll definitely make this again.

seafood supplier said...

Delicious food and great photo

wanto said...

Yummy of Brazilian Shrimp Soup

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Anonymous said...

This sounds delicious! I'm a real fan of soups and know the flavor wonders of coconut milk in them. I actually coconut cream (NOT the kind for mixed drinks with sugar), as the cream is thicker and and has an ever better taste. TRY it sometime and see how you like it.