Sunday Soup #120: Scallop & Shrimp Soup

Last week, I stumbled across a podcast on which the guest was a chef who professed to love soup! "I'm listening...." And, when he started talking about using seafood in soups, he had my full attention. It can be tough sometimes to keep seafood (e.g., shellfish or whitefish) from turning to mush in a soup while still being able to tease out the perfect level of rich seafood flavor. The chef went on to talk about how his favorite seafood protein with which to cook was scallops, which, if done right, can be light, tender, and buttery. "What luck," I thought, "I already have a bag of scallops in the freezer I've been waiting to use!" So, I decided to seek out a scallop soup for the week...

I wanted a brothy seafood soup, rather than a chowder, stew, or bisque. It is November, but I live in California, so the weather hasn't yet turned to the point where I'm looking for thicker soups to take the edge off the cold. Enter this recipe from The Nutrition Adventure site, which seemed to fit exactly what I had been looking for: a well-spiced, brothy seafood soup that featured scallops as a main protein. Let's see how it went...

This recipe came from: https://thenutritionadventure.com/scallop-shrimp-soup-2/

*Pic 1 - https://thenutritionadventure.com/scallop-shrimp-soup-2/

Variations from the Recipe as Written: I used Hungarian Hot Paprika because it was what I had on hand. I used 1-tsp of Old Bay instead of 1/2-tsp. I added a little extra garlic. And, I put the diced peppers right in to sauté with the potatoes, onions, and garlic because... uh... I wasn't paying close enough attention (which my sons would laugh at since I always preach attention-to-detail at them). :-)

General Thoughts: The prep for this one wasn't too bad at all! I used frozen scallops and (raw but shelled/deveined) shrimp, so they just needed to be thawed. Thaw shellfish in the refrigerator if you have the time, or float the bags in lukewarm water to thaw them faster (if you plan to use them in short order). I also used pre-diced onion and bell peppers from my local market. After cutting the seafood a little smaller and tossing it in paprika and Old Bay, all that was left was a little chopping on the potatoes, and I was ready to start cooking. This one really was pretty quick and easy!

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The consistency and "weight" of this soup turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. The broth was light and creamy and really served to support and highlight the other ingredients. The textures were terrific, as well, as the scallops and shrimp were perfectly done (meaty and well-cooked but not mushy), and the peppers, onions, and potatoes were all tender and practically melted in my mouth.

In short, the taste was terrific, rich and flavorful, and would definitely appeal to a wide range of palates (so long as your diners enjoy seafood). The soup had a solid seafood flavor overall (as you might expect from a soup whose main ingredients include shellfish), but it was not overpowering. If you prefer an even stronger seafood profile, try substituting seafood broth for the vegetable broth in the recipe. Likewise, the spices in the soup were present and forward but would not overpower more sensitive eaters. They were just a little too subtle for me, personally, but it was nothing a little Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning Mix, myself), a dash of Tabasco, or even some extra Old Bay in my bowl couldn't fix. Finally, the scallops (as I had hoped) were the real star of the dish, turning out sweet and buttery.

A quick word about how far this recipe stretched... There were just two of us eating this soup, and it looked like I had made plenty, but it was so good that we ate the entire pot... We were both definitely quite full afterward, but we just couldn't stop eating! :-) I am not sure if that says more about us or the soup, but consider doubling the recipe if making for a crowd.

Potential Improvements? This one was great as-is, but I might add a little more Old Bay and a few shakes of crushed red pepper the next time I make it for guests that can handle a little more heat.

Polling the Fam: It was just Hunter and me for this one... I really, really liked it and would not hesitate to make it again if I were craving an easy seafood soup with great flavor. Hunter shared that sentiment, saying he really loved the scallops and that he really enjoyed it (after adding a little extra Old Bay to his bowl). As a side note, my seafood-loving friend Jayson would have gone crazy for this soup if he had gotten to try it; next time, buddy!

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #119: Green Chile and Garbanzo Bean Stew

My wife and I recently took a road trip through the American Southwest, checking out some of our beautiful national parks, such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree, as well as places like Sedona. Their beauty was truly something to behold! And, it was on this trip (in one of the National Park gift shops, actually) that I found a book about slow cooking in Southwestern cuisine. The book has a lot of different, yummy-looking soup recipes, and you'll likely be seeing some of them (or my versions of some of them) in the future, but I was particularly inspired by a recipe that incorporated green chiles and garbanzo beans (or chickpeas if ya nasty!). I made more than enough tweaks to the original to make this recipe my own, I think, but I also encourage you to grab the book for yourself if you want to try the original.

This recipe came from: My full recipe, with all of my own takes on things, is below. But the recipe that inspired me came from Southwest Slow Cooking (2004), which you can buy on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Southwest-Slow-Cooking-Tammy-Biber/dp/0873588568/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=southwest+slow+cooking&sr=8-1.

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RECIPE:

2.5 pounds of stew beef, cubed

All-purpose flour (enough to coat the meat)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 serrano, seeded and chopped

2 15oz cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed

6 slices of smoked bacon, chopped

2 whole canned fire-roasted chiles, chopped

1.5 15oz cans of petite diced tomatoes

2 cups beef stock

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp Mexican oregano

1 tsp smoked salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

A pinch of dried basil

1. Toss the cubed stew beef in the flour and set aside. (*This can help the beef retain its juiciness as it slow cooks, but it can take a significant amount of time. Being that many cooks I've talked to have said they think it makes little difference in a recipe like this, I may skip this step next time and see if the effort is worth it.)

2. Add the oil to a pan and lightly brown the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and serrano.

3. After about 2 minutes, add the meat and continue to cook until the meat is lightly browned on all sides.

4. Add the browned meat mixture and all the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

5. Spoon the soup into individual serving bowls and serve.

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General Thoughts: I generally like slow cooker recipes because they are so easy! A few ingredients, some light prep, and a cooking process that couldn't be easier... But, this one was actually a bit more labor-intensive than I bargained for. There was a good bit of chopping (veggies, bacon, etc.), and the beef needed to be cubed and dredged in flour. Then the veggies needed to be sauteed and the beef browned before things even went into the slow cooker. Looking back at it, it was not as bad as some but, for a Crock-Pot recipe, it was more work than most, in my opinion.

*Pics 1 & 2 - Pictures from when I made it

The first thing that struck me was the color of this soup... For a recipe with "Green Chile" in the name, I expected it to be more... well... green. As you can see from the pics above, it is not that the soup's color was the least bit unappetizing or otherwise unusual, but it was a little surprising. The next thing that jumped out at me is that it turned out fairly bland. Again, not to say that it didn't have good general flavor, but it was almost devoid of the spicy heat I was hoping to get from this Green Chile soup, which included hot pepper on its ingredients list. I know better-than-most how much chiles can vary from crop to crop, but the hope is that they at least impart enough heat that you know they're in there.

With that said, however, the soup turned out pretty well. It was thick and hearty, exactly as a stew should be, and it would be great on a cool Fall night. The texture was fine and indicative of a nice, slow-cooked soup; the veggies and garbanzo beans were all perfectly tender. The meat was, likewise, tender and tasty, slow-cooked to perfection. I really enjoyed the garbanzo beans and love them as the starch in this soup. Truth be told, I found myself thinking I'd prefer them most times to potatoes in a soup like this, although I know that sentiment is not universally shared. In short, other than a lack of spiciness or a strong green chile taste, it was pretty good, especially after I added a pinch of salt to my bowl, so it is pretty solid, overall.

Potential Improvements? I'd love to try this one again with some additions/changes... First, I'd love to swap 1/2-cup of the beef broth for one cup of Mrs. Renfroe's Green Salsa (https://www.renfrofoods.com/products/green-salsa). This would have the effect of making the soup more "green" and give it that deeper green chile taste I craved while also helping to bump up the spice level. I would also like to pre-marinade the beef overnight (in my own meat marinade, combining ½ TBSP garlic salt, 1 TBSP cumin, 7 TBSP water, 1 TBSP liquid smoke, and 1 TBSP lime juice) and skip the dredging/browning exercise prior to adding the beef to the Crock-Pot.

Polling the Fam: Overall, I liked this one and would make it again, especially with the changes above. Becky thought it was fine and a solid beef stew but thought the garbanzo taste was too much. Jayson, likewise, liked it but added that he was not a garbanzo guy. Lisa thought it was fantastic but agreed it wasn't very spicy. Andrew thought it was pretty good and liked it, especially the meat. Hunter gave it high marks, calling it the best stew I've made as part of this project. And, Fox, thought it was "okay."

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)