Anyway, since I'm a fan of the broth and not so much the thick ravioli-style won ton, I have adapted many other variations including adding fresh lemons or, my absolute favorite, fresh seafood. Within walking distance to my home, (literally, if there wasn't a fence I could walk 70 yards and be in its back door) there is a Japanese restaurant that features a seafood soup that blows me away every time I order it, which is often. It also comes with a small vial of a very hot spice mixture which I add sparingly. I don't know what is in it-and they are not talking (well, they are talking but I didn't understand). But whatever it is, will clear your sinuses like nothing else I know of.
What I like about Asian style soups is that their broths are not thick, creamy and loaded with starch. I love clean, sometimes clear, broth which the Asian culture has mastered making amazingly flavorful.
As a matter of choice, when I make the standard, American style chicken noodle soup, I cook the noodles separately so they don't thicken my broth as they cook. I'm that serious about a clean broth. My favorite adaptation of that Japanese restaurant's famous soup, is listed below. It is a quick meal on a cold night, and when served over cooked noodles, can easily be made into a healthy, tasteful entree.
ASIAN seafood soup
INGREDIENTS
- · 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil
- · 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- · 3 cups thinly sliced Napa (Chinese) cabbage
- · 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
- · 6 ounces small shrimp, peeled and deveined
- · 6 ounces bay or sea scallops
- · 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- · 2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
- · 8 ounces Chinese wheat noodles, or linguine
- · 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
PREPARATION
1. Heat oil in a medium
saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until golden, about 1 minute.
Add cabbage and 1/4 cup of the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the
cabbage is wilted, about 1 minute. Add the remaining broth, shrimp, scallops,
soy sauce and vinegar. Return to a simmer and cook until the shrimp and scallops
are opaque in the center, about 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, cook
noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water just until tender, 2 to 5
minutes. If using linguine, cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a
colander and divide among 4 large soup bowls. Ladle the soup over
the noodles and sprinkle with scallions.
n And nothing pairs better with a light soup than a salad with citrus dressing. I have been using lemon and olive oil as my dressing base for years, the recipe below just kicks it up a notch. So mix up your favorite greens and whip up the ingredients listed and dinner is served.
Citrus Dressing
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- Dash of salt
