yummy soup – Thai style

My friend from Toronto, Pam, sent me a package of printed material designed to entice me to visit her fair city. It might just work. But in the meantime, as I was going through the magazines, I found this recipe for a soup that looked delicious. Turns out it is delicious. I put this together for supper and it was a hit. The recipe is from Edible Toronto Magazine, and this is my version:

Thai-inspired soup with fish, butternut squash, mushrooms and kale

• 2 – 6-inch lengths lemongrass (optional)
• 2 tbsp. grape seed oil
• 3 shallots or 1/2 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 Thai bird, scotch bonnet or Habanero chile pepper, stemmed and minced
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 small can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. Thai yellow, green or red curry paste
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp. liquid honey
• 2 cups butternut squash in 1/2-inch dice
• 1 cup firmly packed shredded kale (I used Swiss chard)
• 1 large carrot, cut into thin coins
• 1/2 lb assorted mushrooms, left whole if small or cut into large chunks
• 1 1/2 lbs halibut or whitefish filets (or other firm-fleshed fish), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

• If using lemongrass, gently tap the stalks with the blade of a large knife in a few places so that stalks are broken but not cut through; set aside.
• In a small stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the lemongrass, chile, broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, curry paste, lime juice and honey.
• Stir well to combine. Stir in the squash and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add kale (or Swiss chard) and mushrooms and continue simmering until the squash is soft and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Gently stir in the fish. Bring the liquid back up to a simmer and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and discard lemon grass. Spoon equal amounts of the soup and solid ingredients into bowls. Sprinkle with green onions and serve hot, with lime wedges for your guests to squeeze into their soup bowls before digging in.

This was equally fabulous heated gently the next day for lunch. (My favorite type of dinner is one that includes enough leftovers for another meal or two.) By the way, thanks Pam!