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Tom Yum Goong

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 quarts chicken broth

2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2-inch pieces and crushed
with the side of a cleaver

4 kaffir lime leaves (or peel of 1 lime)

1 1-inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, sliced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and slivered

1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed and halved

2 limes, juiced (¼ cup)

2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce)

Garnish:

2 whole green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and jalapeno peppers. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Uncover and add the shrimp and mushrooms and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice and fish sauce. To serve, ladle into individual soup bowls. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.

Chef’s Hint: Taste for salt and spice levels before serving; you should have an equal balance of spicy, salty, and sour. Add more jalapenos for spicy, more fish sauce for salty, and/or more lime juice for sour. Recipe by Kim A. Fuqua Photography by Suzanne Farmer

Provençal Vegetable Stew

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 eggplant, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 zucchini, chopped

6 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled

and quartered

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the eggplant, green pepper, and zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. The vegetables should be covered in the juices—if not, add a little water. Add salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Cover saucepan and let simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

Serving Suggestion: Usually served as a side dish, this stew also makes a great main course when served with French bread.

Recipe by Kim A. Fuqua. Photography by Suzanne Farmer.

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