Shrimp and Chicken Chowder

Serves two, but you can always double the recipe.

Note:This recipe has lots of ingredients, but it goes together very easily, so don't be intimidated! You can make the stock ahead of time OR you can use 2 c unsalted chicken or vegetable stock. If you don't have fish sauce, you can get it at an Asian market. (Golden Boy brand is excellent.) You can substitute salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon to start) plus 2 T water, but the fish sauce really adds a wonderful flavor. Substitute a hot chili powder for the Thai roasted pepper, if you don't want to make your own (the recipe for Thai Roasted Pepper follows this recipe).

The stock

2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped (quarter-inch dice)
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 med carrots, peeled and grated
4 c water
4 whole allspice
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet (I use cast iron). Add the onions, and cook them until they soften and begin to brown. Add the celery. Stir occasionally, and continue frying until the celery begins to lose its bright green color. Stir in the carrots and fry until the carrots are very limp and begin to brown. Toward the end of the cooking, you will need to keep stirring the vegetables with a metal spatula, because the oil will be absorbed, and the vegetables will stick to the skillet.

When the vegetables have finished cooking, transfer them to a 2-1/2 qt stockpot. Pour some of the water into the skillet to deglaze it, and add to the stockpot with the rest of the water. Add the spices, and bring the stock to a boil, then turn the heat down such that the stock continues to boil, and continue to boil, uncovered, until it is reduced to half its volume (about a half hour to 45 minutes).

Remove the stock from the stove, and strain it into a container. Set it aside (or refrigerate) until you are ready to make the soup. Discard the solids in the strainer.

The meat

10 raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
1/4 lb raw chicken breast strips, sliced in half-inch pieces
2 T fish sauce
2 T rice vinegar (or lime or lemon juice)
2 cloves minced garlic
black pepper to taste
1/4 t Thai roasted pepper (or chili powder)

Read the Note, above, about substitutions for the fish sauce and Thai roasted pepper.

In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the soup.

The rest of the soup

1 small can corn, undrained (8.75 oz)
1 med potato, peeled and grated
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
bean sprouts (optional)

In a soup pot, heat the stock and canned corn to boiling. Add the grated potato, and continue to simmer uncovered for three to four minutes. Add the shrimp and chicken mixture and simmer until the meat is cooked, about three minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put a couple of tablespoons of bean sprouts in the bottom of each soup bowl. Stir the cream into the soup, then ladle the soup over the bean sprouts and serve immediately.

Thai Roasted Peppers

The name is a misnomer, because the chilies aren't roasted, they are fried!

Note: Prepare the peppers in a well-ventilated kitchen. The fumes of the frying peppers can irritate your eyes. When you are grinding the peppers, be careful about touching your fingers to your face or rubbing your eyes. The ground pepper can irritate your skin. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the peppers.

2 - 4 oz whole dried Asian chili peppers
2 T peanut oil

Line a metal strainer with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on high heat until the oil has a sheen, but isn't smoking. Add the peppers, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds, until the peppers are shiny and have turned darker, but before they burn and turn black.

Immediately remove the peppers to the strainer. Let the peppers drain and cool. Dab them with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

When the peppers are completely cool, grind them in a food processor or spice mill until they are finely ground. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Use the condiment very sparingly....