African peanut soup

From Food Network Canada

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup shelled peanuts (or 1 cup peanut butter, in which case skip peanut oil)
• 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 x onion, chopped
• 1 x medium-size yam, peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup canned coconut milk (not to be confused with coconut cream)
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup crackerjacks (for garnish)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, add peanuts and 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Purée until smooth. Reserve.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil, butter, onions and yams. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, coconut milk and peanut butter. Turn up heat until liquids reach a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Season with salt and cayenne. To serve, reheat, then garnish with crackerjacks.

Thai chicken soup

From Cook's Illustrated

6-8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course. Published January 1, 2007.

If you want a soup with less fat, it is possible to substitute light coconut milk for one or both cans of regular coconut milk. Fresh lemon grass can be omitted, but the soup will lack some complexity. Don't be tempted to use jarred or dried lemon grass-their flavor is characterless. If you want a spicier soup, add more red curry paste to taste. For a more substantial meal, serve the soup over 2 to 3 cups of cooked jasmine rice. The soup can be prepared through step 1 up to one day ahead of time and refrigerated, but it should be completed immediately before serving, as the chicken and mushrooms can easily overcook.

Ingredients

1	teaspoon vegetable oil
3	stalks lemon grass , tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3	large shallots , chopped
8	sprigs fresh cilantro leaves , chopped coarse
3	tablespoons fish sauce
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2	(14-ounce) cans coconut milk , well-shaken
1	tablespoon sugar
1/2	pound white mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , halved lengthwise and sliced on bias into 1/8-inch-thick pieces (see illustration below)
3	tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 to 3 limes
2	teaspoons red curry paste (Thai)
Garnish
1/2	cup fresh cilantro leaves
2	serrano chiles , sliced thin
2	scallions , sliced thin on bias
1	lime , cut into wedges

Instructions

1. 1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes (vegetables should not brown). Stir in chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk; bring to simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

2. 2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir remaining can coconut milk and sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

3. 3. Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chiles, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Aromatic salmon cooked in coconut milk

From BBC Food

By Josceline Dimbleby
Serves 4

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients
- 4 thick salmon steaks
- 2.5cm/1in piece root ginger, peeled and cut into small, very thin slices
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into small, very thin slices
- 350g/12oz tomatoes, peeled and halved
- 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and sliced as finely as possible
- 1 small yellow pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced
- 4-6 cardamom pods, roughly crushed
- 400ml/14fl oz tinned coconut milk
- sea salt
- 2 limes, juice only
- handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions
1. Put the fish steaks in a fairly shallow ovenproof dish with a lid, into which they fit quite closely.
2. Scatter the ginger, garlic, tomato, chilli and yellow pepper over and around the fish and the cardamom pods in between.
3. Empty the coconut milk into a separate bowl, add a good sprinkling of sea salt and gradually stir in the lime juice. Pour the mixture gently over and around the fish and cover the dish.
4. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Put the dish on the centre shelf and cook for 40-50 minutes, until the fish is lightly done. To discover this insert a small, sharp knife into the centre of one of the steaks - if the flesh is slightly darker pink in the centre it will be perfectly cooked. Remove from the oven.
5. Before serving scatter the mint leaves on top.