Thai Bouillabaisse

By stancec44

From Chopstix, pg. 68
Serves 4 as an entree and 8 as the soup course.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1" lengths (no stem & put in bag to remove before serving)
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 3 c. coconut milk
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. Chinese Chili Sauce
• Lg. pinch saffron
• 20 small mussels, cleaned
• 1/2 lb. med. shrimp
• 1/2 lb. skinless salmon filet
• 1/2 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. shredded fresh basil
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Advance prep:
Place a 4-qt. saucepan over med. heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, shallots, ginger and lemongrass. Sauce until the garlic sizzles and turns white, about 1 minute, then add the broth, coconut milk, wine, fish sauce, chili sauce and saffron. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool to room temp and, if completed hours in advance, refrigerate the soup (up to 8 hours) in the saucepan.

Last minute:
Bring the soup to a simmer. Transfer 2 cups of the soup liquid to a 3 qt. saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook until they open, about 5 minutes. Save the liquid, bu discard any that do not open. Strain the liquid through fine mesh sieve, strain the liquid back into the soup. Reserve the mussels.

Bring the soup back to a low boil. Mix the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, then stir into the soup to thicken slightly. Add the shrimp, salmon, tomatoes, basil and nutmeg. Simmer until salmon begins to flake, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings, particularly the nutmeg, chili sauce and salt. Add the mussels, still in the shell, turn soup into a tureen or individual bowls and serve at once.