Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Soup

Josh's favorite word is BOK CHOY! One time when we were still dating, we went grocery shopping and he spotted bok choy in the produce section. He insisted on yelling out, “Do you know what my favorite vegetable is??? Well, it is BOK CHOY!!” I wish you could hear how he says it. He gets a kick out of it. Of course he made a scene and kept repeating the word, but I humored him and laughed:)

Well, Josh hasn't forgotten that word. It is still his favorite, so when we saw this recipe I knew we would be making it. Yes, it looked good but to have the chance to purchase and say BOK CHOY all night long, that was the real reason for making this soup!

I know we are on a soup kick lately but we just love it, especially when it is chilly here! This one has a fun Asian twist. I love the mushrooms and bok choy…the broth is also nice. It isn't too heavy and the noodles are fun to slurp:) If you have an Asian market close by, go there for the ingredients! It is a fun experience and the items are MUCH cheaper!!

We also made vegetable and shrimp dumplings for an appetizer. It was my first time working with won ton wrappers. I am in love!! What a fun appetizer to make!

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Adapted from Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated ½ pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced, a couple of cups 1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise Salt and pepper 1 quart chicken broth 1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or, 1 cup clam juice 1 ½ pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp ½ pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti) 4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.

Add shrimp and noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add in scallions and cook 2 minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust salt and serve.

Vegetable Shrimp Dumplings

Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

10 shrimp, thawed, peeled, deveined, chopped 10-15 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped 3 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped ½ red pepper, chopped 1.5 cups of napa cabbage, shredded and finely chopped 3 Tablespoons lite soy sauce 1-2 tablespoons sesame oil 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon canola oil 15 wonton wrappers Serve with your choice of dipping sauce. We purchased one from an Asian market.

1. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, mushrooms, scallions, red pepper, cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the vegetable mixture and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl and let cool.

3. Brush one wonton wrapper with water and place 1 heaping teaspoon filling in the center. Fold the wrapper into a triangle, squeeze out the air and press the edges together to seal, wetting the dough if necessary to make it stick. Pinch together the two corners of the folded edge. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add the dumplings and boil until cooked through, about 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve with dipping sauces.

You can double this to make more. It was just the two of us so we sized it down!