Thai Curry-Coconut Soup with Shrimp

Though I tend to favor thick, pureed vegetable-based soups as accompaniments to main dishes, there are a few soups I have had that struck me as perfect as meals on their own. This Thai-inspired curry-coconut soup is one of them. This soup's broth is fantastic - vegetable, chicken, or shrimp stock simmered with coconut milk, red curry paste, ginger, garlic and onions, with a splash each of lime juice and fish sauce, respectively. The soup gets its heartiness from a few generous handfuls of kale and oyster mushrooms as well as succulent shrimp poached in the soup before serving. Garnish with cilantro, lime slices or wedges, and serve in large bowls for a satisfying meal that needs little else on the side, save for perhaps a mango or papaya salad.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 bird chiles, seeded and chopped
1 piece lemongrass
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1/2-pound oyster mushrooms
1/2-pound shrimp
1 can coconut milk
4 cups vegetable, chicken, or shrimp stock
Juice of 2-3 limes
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 handfuls kale, torn into bite-sized pieces

Procedure:
(1) Sautee onions, garlic, and ginger in a pot over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes.
(2) Add curry paste and combine with other contents of the pot.
(3) Add coconut milk and stock.
(4) Cut several incisions in the piece of lemongrass and add it to the pot.
(5) Add lime juice, fish sauce, and chopped chiles.
(6) Allow contents to just barely reach a simmer, then add mushrooms and shrimp. Stir for a few minutes until shrimp have turned orange - this means they are cooked.
(7) Add kale and cook for about 2 more minutes.
(8) Remove lemongrass from the pot.
(9) Serve soup in large bowls, garnished with cilantro and lime slices or wedges.

Sweet Potato-Chipotle Soup

Most things I cook are inspired by things I've had before in restaurants and in other people's homes. However, sometimes I see a unique recipe that I just have to try, and that was the case when I came across Homesick Texan's blog post on sweet potato-chipotle soup. When I laid eyes on that recipe for this absolutely delicious Tex-Mex-style thick soup, I left for the market minutes later and prepared it for dinner that very night! This soup is sure to brighten up the coldest of winter days. Here is my version:

Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2-3 large ones or 4-5 smaller ones), peeled and cubed
1 pound onions (about 2 large ones or 3 smaller ones), diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 chipotle peppers
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste
Oregano, to taste
Greek yogurt
Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds

Procedure:
(1) Put a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
(2) Add diced onions and sautee for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
(3) Add cubed, peeled sweet potato and mix well with browned onions.
(4) Season with salt, pepper, cumin, nutmeg, and oregano.
(5) Add chicken stock, reduce heat to low-medium, and allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
(6) Before blending, add chiptoles.
(7) Blend with either a standing blender or immersion blender. Soup should be quite thick.
(8) Mix in lime juice before ladling soup into individual portions.
(9) Serve with greek yogurt, either swirled in or added as a dollup.
(10) Garnish with pepitas or sunflower seeds.