Another cold soup for hot days!

 

 

                 A few weeks ago I gave you a recipe for a chilled pear soup with cardamom. I was surprised at the number of emails I received saying they’d tried it and loved it, and asking for more chilled soups.

                The second best part about chilled soups—the very best part is how tasty and refreshing they are in summer—is that they must be done ahead.  That leaves your time just before serving dinner free for other tasks, or for just socializing.

                This soup is based on a recipe I found in the French culinary magazine Cuisine et Vins de France. I made it once for our wine dinner club, and it was so good that I’ve served it four times since.  That’s really rare for me! It’s the perfect beginning to a main course salad dinner, or for dinner on the grill. It also makes a great brunch soup beside a quiche or frittata.

This soup will keep beautifully for several days in the fridge. I had less than a cup left the last time I served it, and it made a pretty tasty sauce over a grilled chicken breast. I think it would be good on fish or shrimp as well.

Red Bell Pepper Gazpacho with Goat Cheese

4 red bell peppers (See note below)

4 large very ripe tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp. sherry wine vinegar

1 tbsp. kosher salt

6 oz. goat cheese crumbles, divided

1 tbsp. honey

3 tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

 

                Over a very hot grill or a gas flame, or under the broiler of your oven, roast the peppers until the peel is very dark and charred, turning often. Place into a paper bag, roll the top to close and let rest until completely cool.  When cool, rub off as much of the skin as you can. You should be able to get most of it, but a little stubborn bit here and there won’t hurt. Cut in half and remove the stem, seeds and veins. Cut into chunks and place in a large glass bowl.

                Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Using a small spoon, scoop the seeds into a strainer set over a small bowl. Cut out the core and cut the unpeeled tomatoes into chunks. Add to the bowl with the peppers.

                With a rubber spatula, rub the juice around the seeds through the strainer. Discard the seeds and add the juice to the bowl, along with the garlic, sherry wine vinegar and salt. Toss to combine, cover and refrigerate at least four hours.

                Working in batches, in a blender or food processor pulse the pepper mixture with 2 tbsp. goat cheese, the honey, olive oil and basil. It should be just a little bit chunky, not perfectly smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.

                When ready to serve, pour into small glasses or clear bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining goat cheese and serve at once. Serves 6-8.

 

NOTE: I roasted my own peppers, but if you prefer, you can substitute two 12-oz. jars of roasted peppers, drained.



Oriental Pork Burger--A Little Rest from Beef Burgers!

I think most everyone loves a burger on the grill. But sometimes, by the middle of summer, we’re tired of the same old beef burger every time. I recently had a friend accompany me to an occasion where her support was most welcome. Afterwards, we came back to the house. I’d made the burgers and slaw earlier in the day and within a very short time the grill was hot and the burgers were on.

            I had picked up cole slaw mix, the kind with carrots already in it, but I wanted more carrots. I was going to grate them myself, but as I passed by the salad bar and saw the nifty long strands of carrot, I picked up a container of that instead. 

            I thought the slaw would be enough for a topping, but after tasting, we thought it still needed a little something, so I whipped up the sesame aioli. It was the perfect finishing touch.

            I served it with store-bought sweet potato chips, which went very well with the flavor of the burgers. If you are a bit more ambitious, roast cubes of sweet potato and toss them with a little more of the sesame aioli and chopped cilantro for sweet potato salad.

Spicy Oriental Pork Burgers

 1 ½ lb. ground pork

2 green onions, with some of the green, very thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. ginger paste from the produce section (or 1 ½ tbsp. grated fresh ginger)

2 tbsp. Thai sweet chili sauce

1 tsp. Oriental sesame oil

1 tbsp. soy sauce

6 Kaiser rolls (or other crusty buns)

Asian Slaw (recipe below)

Sesame Aioli (recipe below)

             In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the pork burgers. Form into six patties about 5” in diameter. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour so flavors meld, or until ready to cook. 

On a very hot gas or charcoal grill (or stove-top ridged grill pan) cook five to six minutes per side, until no longer pink in the center.  Place on the buns, top with the slaw and drizzle with the aioli.  Serves six.

Asian Slaw

1 bag cole slaw mix

1cup shredded carrot

1 minced green onion

3 tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

      

            In a bowl, combine the slaw mix, carrot, green onion and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and vinegar. Pour over the slaw and toss together.  Let set at room temperature for up to an hour, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

 Sesame Aioli

 ¾  cup mayonnaise

1 tsp oriental sesame oil

1 clove garlic, very finely minced

            Mix together, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Luscious Latino Shrimp Salad

               I had invited friends for a Sunday supper, and wanted a first course that wouldn’t take a lot of time to prepare that day. I also wanted something with a bit of a Latino flair to complement the main course I was serving.  Looking through my recipe files, I came across a shrimp cocktail recipe that was perfect.  It calls for tiny salad shrimp, but I like to use larger shrimp and put it atop a bed of greens. 

               I usually dice avocados for garnish, but I’d made guacamole in anticipation of a Friday evening concert at the Levitt Shell. When it stormed about the time we were to leave, we changed our minds. So I used the guacamole that was still in the fridge to top the salad. It was so much better than just the plain avocado that I will make it that way from now on.
                You can use your favorite gucamole recipe. While not quite the same as home-made, the Wholly Guacamole brand, in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, is also pretty tasty.
               The recipe calls for Maggi seasoning, a liquid seasoning. You might be able to find it in either the Hispanic or oriental sections of your market. If not, use ½ teaspoon each soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
               By increasing the amount of shrimp to about 2 ½ lb., this would make a fine main course for lunch or dinner on a hot summer day.

 Latino Shrimp Salad

1 lemon, rinsed and sliced

2 tbsp. Penzeys salsa seasoning (or one pkg. taco seasoning)
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 ½ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chili sauce (see note)
Juice and finely grated zest of one orange
Juice and finely grated zest of 2 limes
I tsp. Maggi seasoning
2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
1 cup prepared guacamole
4 to 5 oz. arugula
Cilantro, for garnish
1 lime, cut into six wedges, for garnish

                In a non-reactive Dutch oven, place the lemon, salsa or taco seasoning, wine and bay leaf.  Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about five minutes. Add shrimp. Add water if needed to completely cover shrimp. Bring to a slow boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Wait 8 minutes, then drain.  Place with the lemon slices in a flat glass or plastic container and chill. 

                In a bowl, whisk together the chili sauce, orange and lime juice and zest, Maggi seasoning and Tabasco.  Cover and chill completely. About half an hour before serving, pour over the shrimp, tossing to coat.
                Divide the arugula among six salad plates. Top with the shrimp, then the guacamole.  Drizzle with the sauce remaining in the container, sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Serves six.

Note: This calls for the mild chili sauce that’s right beside the catsup on market shelves.

The Mafia is Not a Myth!

Many people, especially down in the South, believe that the Mafia is an invention of the movie industry.  Films such as The Godfather, or Goodfellas, are not far from the truth here in the United States.

This is even more true in Italy.  Although most of the Mafia families are in the south, their hold spreads all over Italy.  According to the United Nations, Italy’s major Mafia organizations are tied to 116 billion euros, or about $150 billion, in revenue each year,

In the New York Times Travel Section this week, there's an article about a bakery owner,Vincenzo Conticello, who refused to pay his "protection" money.  He went through trials and tribulations but ultimately triumphed.

The owner has now expanded to several locations where tourists can be sure they aren't supporting organized crime in Italy.  You can read all about it here.

A Chilled Soup: Just the Thing for Summer

Last weekend, I hosted a dinner party that we had donated to our church school auction. It was an “Evening in Paris” menu, for the 12 who signed up for it. We started the evening with assorted canapés. To accompany them, we served Lillet Blanc, a French apéritif, with a slice of orange and a splash of soda. This gave folks a chance to mingle and chat before being seated.

 

The first seated course was a chilled soup. Many years ago, when I first started going to France, chilled soups weren´t all that common in France except perhaps along the Mediterranean, or near Spain, where gazpacho might have made it onto the menu.  But now, with all the young ambitious new chefs making the Parisian scene, it´s not at all unusual to see one on a summer menu.

 

The obvious advantage to a chilled soup is that it can be made ahead.  In fact it must be made ahead to allow it to chill and for the flavors to develop.  Another advantage to this one is that there’s very little preparation involved, since we’re using canned pears. If you prefer to use fresh pears, make sure they’re ripe, and poach five or six in water with a little sugar. A little splash of white wine wouldn’t hurt in the poaching liquid, either.

 

I like to garnish this with snipped chives and a few crumbles of blue cheese. While Roquefort would be a nice match to the flavors in the soup, it’s become enormously expensive. You can quite nicely substitute another crumbly blue cheese, such as gorgonzola or Maytag blue.

 

For the wine pairing, we served an Alsatian white blend, Hugel Gentil. It was the perfect match.

 

 Chilled Pear Cardamom Soup

 

 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 small shallots, peeled and minced (3 to 4 tbsp.)

1 tsp. ground cardamom

1 can (29 oz.) pears, drained

Juice and finely grated zest of one large lemon

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups half-and-half cream

Salt and ground white pepper, to taste

3 oz. blue cheese crumbles, for garnish

Chives, for garnish      

      

                In a skillet, cook the shallots in the oil until soft.  Add the cardamom and cook, stirring, about two more minutes.  Put the pears in a food processor and add the shallot mixture. Pulse a couple of times, then add the lemon juice and zest and the chicken stock.  Process until very smooth. Pour into a bowl and whisk in the half-and-half.  Add salt and ground white pepper to taste. Chill for at least three hours, or until very cold. Taste again before serving. You might need a little more salt. Serve in soup cups or flat soup bowls, topped with the blue cheese and chives. Serves 6.

Super Summer Seafood Soup Provençal!

As frequent readers may remember, I spent many summers in France in my younger days.  Much of this time was in Montpellier, in the south of France. When the weather starts to warm up, as it has recently in Memphis, I tend to think about the food I had there. 

 

 Last weekend I had a group of friends over for a dinner party. We did it in a sort of class format, with recipes and cooking demos. I chose Southern French as the cuisine. For the first seated course, we had a fish soup very representative of Provence, on the Mediterranean coast.

 

Unlike heavier seafood soups, such as gumbos or chowders, this is a light and brothy soup.  It makes a great introduction to a summer dinner, or with a salad, it makes a great luncheon on its own. 

 

For the fish, you want a very full flavored whitefish.  I used fresh amberjack from the Paradise Seafood truck. It has the perfect flavor and texture, but turbot, pollack or cod would also work. A more delicate fish, such as sole or flounder, would be lost in the lusty seasonings of this soup.

 

I used canned tomatoes, but when the good summer tomatoes are available from the farmers’ markets, peel, seed and dice them instead.

 

 A traditional addition at the table is a tiny splash of the regional apéritif known as pastis.  It is typically served on ice, with a generous splash of water. It has an anise flavor, which some don´t care for as a beverage, but it makes a big difference in the flavor. A couple of the guests were a little doubtful about a “fish soup,” but with this added touch, raved over it.

 

There are several brands of pastis available here; I use Pernod. As a drink, I’m not crazy about it, but I find lots of other uses for it. The soup will be delicious without it, but if you pick up a bottle to use with this soup, I promise a few other recipes using it over the next several months.

 

 One more note: this soup freezes well. If you want to double it, freeze it in quart containers and you’ll have an easy dinner or lunch when the Memphis heat makes it just too hot to cook.

 

 Provençal Fish Soup

 

 ¼ cup olive oil                                                                   

4 plump cloves garlic, minced                                                                    

1 medium onion, chopped                                                          

¾ cup celery, minced                                                                     

1 generous pinch each dried thyme, oregano and basil  

1 can (15-16 oz.) diced tomatoes

2 quarts fish stock (see note)

1 lb. boneless firm white fish

Baguette toasts

Pernod or other pastis (optional)

 

In a large heavy pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir a few times, then add the onion and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally two minutes, then add the herbs. Continue to sauté until the vegetables are translucent, about 5 minutes.

 

 Add the tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to as low as it will go, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the fish stock, bring to a boil and add the fish cut into small chunks. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes uncovered. Add salt to taste, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

 

 With a wire whisk, whisk well to break up the chunks of fish and blend the flavors.  You may need to use a potato masher to flake the fish into small pieces. It depends on the variety of fish you use.  Serve in flat soup bowls with a baguette toast floating on top.  Pass the Pernod bottle at the table for each person to add to taste. It just takes a teaspoon or two for each serving. Serves 6 as a main course, or 8 as a first course soup.

 

NOTES:  Fish stock can be made from concentrated fish stock base (available from Penzeys), fish bouillon cubes (available in most Hispanic markets and some supermarkets), or use 2 bottles clam juice and six cups water.

Strawberry Salsa Seafood!

               It’s strawberry season! And what could be better than locally grown strawberries from the farmers’ markets around town?

                I must say this about strawberries this year: ask to taste one of the type you want to buy. I don’t know if it was the weather, the cool spring, or the variety of strawberries, but the first basket I bought wasn’t nearly as sweet as I expected. I intended to eat the strawberries with brown sugar, or a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, or a little honey with lemon, or just rinsed and plain, if they had been sweet enough.

                But although the first ones I bought were not sweet, I wasn’t about to just throw them away. I was having guests that evening and had planned on serving scallops. I dusted them with a little flour mixed with Penzeys Salsa Seasoning and sautéed them. I made a salsa out of the strawberries and the dish was a big hit.

              Subsequently, I’ve gotten only good strawberries—by tasting them first. There have still been some less than sweet ones around.

Last weekend was the monthly meeting of our wine dinner group. My assignment was a seated appetizer. This time I rubbed fresh cod filets with olive oil and sprinkled them with the same seasoning, and cooked them on the outside grill. Oh yum.  As good as the salsa was with the slightly under-sweet berries and sautéed scallops, this second effort was much better. The sweetness of the berries really went well with the smoky grilled flavor of the fish.

                Brush some asparagus with olive oil and some of the same seasoning you use on the fish and grill for a few minutes alongside the fish. With a nice rice pilaf you have the best early summer dinner I can imagine!
 

Grilled Fish with Strawberry-mint Salsa

6 – 6-oz servings of firm mild white fish (see note)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup Penzeys Salsa Seasoning (or packaged taco seasoning)

1 quart strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

½ cup diced red onion

1 small yellow bell pepper, diced

½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and inner veins removed (or more to taste)

Juice and finely grated zest of two limes

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

¼ cup (loosely packed) julienned fresh mint leaves

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

               Pat the fish dry and rub with the olive oil. Sprinkle the seasonings evenly on both sides of the fish. You can do this earlier in the day and refrigerate, covered. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking.

                In a bowl, mix the berries, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, lime juice and zest and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to four hours.

                About an hour before serving, mix the julienned mint leaves into the salsa. When ready to serve, grill the fish filets over a medium-hot fire or broil about 4” below a preheated oven broiler. Fish should be just barely opaque in the center and flake easily.  Place the fish on heated dinner plates, divide the salsa among them and garnish with the mint sprigs.
 

NOTE: There are other fish that would work: amberjack, grouper, haddock or halibut. But I like fresh cod for this dish. It is readily available in specialty markets and in many supermarkets. It has a mild flavor, and is very affordable.

Fresh Pea Soup...It's the Season!

 

In my much younger days I spent a summer working in Paris as part of an exchange program at the University of Louisville.  My parents had hosted many of the French students who had come to U. of L. in prior years. The mother of one of those French students, Madame Chevé, nearly adopted me. I worked not far from their apartment, and would come often for dinner, arriving well before the rest of the family. She would give me small tasks to do to help in dinner preparation.

                On a few occasions, one of the tasks was to shell fresh peas. This was not something I’d ever done before, but certainly not a difficult chore.  Several times, she made a soup she called “Potage Saint-Germain.” I wrote down almost all her recipes, and when I came home, this was one I liked to make. Later, in “classic” French cookbooks, I found recipes that were quite different. The peas were pureed, there were fewer vegetables, there was lots more butter¸ and often it was thickened with an egg yolk at the end.

                But this is the version I’ve made all these years. I like to use arugula for the greens, because I like the slightly spicy flavor.  Other greens, such as spinach, or even the dark green tops of romaine would work well. 

                This can be made more substantial with diced ham added after the soup has been pureed.  The heavy cream makes it richer but I prefer it without. I like to top it with crumbled bacon, but a dollop of sour cream, or a sprinkle of minced fresh herbs (whatever you used in the soup), or snipped chives would work just as well.

                You can make the soup base as far as the blending well ahead and keep chilled. Then reheat the soup, add the peas and simmer briefly.  What a great soup, then, for entertaining friends on a spring day!

Potage Saint-Germain

1 leek

3 tbsp. butter

1 12-oz. package frozen mirepoix mix (see note)

1 tbsp. packed, fresh tarragon, thyme or mint (or 1 tsp. dried tarragon or thyme)

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup, packed, dark leafy greens

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup heavy cream (optional)

2 cups shelled fresh peas (or one 12-oz. package frozen, thawed)

Bacon crumbles, herbs or sour cream, for garnish

                Cut the root end and the thick fibrous top off the leeks, leaving the white and pale green part. Slice in half lengthwise and rinse under running water, making sure any grit or dirt is gone. Slice crosswise and reserve.               
              In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, melt the butter. Add the mirepoix mix and the leeks. Cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender but not browned. If using thyme or tarragon, add it now. Stir a couple of times and add the chicken stock and potatoes. 
           Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in the greens and let set about 10 minutes. With a blender, food processor or hand blender, puree the soup.  Flecks of the green will remain, and that’s a good thing.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
                When ready to serve, bring back to a simmer and add the peas.  If using fresh mint, add it now. Simmer just long enough for the peas to heat through. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish as desired.

                Makes four main course servings, or six first course servings.

NOTE: You may replace the frozen mirepoix mix with one cup chopped onion and ½ cup each chopped carrot and celery. But the frozen is easy, time-saving and gives excellent results in a soup to be blended later.



Panna Cotta...it's Not Just Dessert!

                Those who read regularly know that I love the Italian dessert, panna cotta. Over the years, I’ve featured it in several variations.  So when I spied a recipe for a savory one in the French culinary magazine Cuisines et Vins de France, of course I had to try it.

                Titled “Panna Cotta Salée au Bacon,” it is shown as an appetizer. The French have been very fond recently of appetizers and desserts served in little glasses called verrines.  The recipe said it served four, but from similar quantities (converted from the metric) I got six servings, and still they were a bit rich to serve as an appetizer for any but the lightest of main courses.

                But served as a brunch dish, it was perfect with a salad of arugula and grape tomatoes.   Think of it as a BLT sort of brunch dish.

                I like panna cotta with just enough gelatin to set, served in its own dish. The consistency is silkier and more agreeable to me. But it would look lovely unmolded on top of the salad. In that case you would need to add one more envelope of gelatin. You would probably need a bit more water for the softening process.

                The recipe called for all heavy cream. I used half-and-half instead, and substituted a cup of sour cream for part of it because I like the flavor. One of my friends suggested it could be lightened even more by using non-fat Greek yogurt for that cup of sour cream. I haven’t tried that, but it should work.

                For the dessert at this brunch, to carry on the French theme, I put scoops of peach sorbet from the supermarket into small wine glasses and splashed a jigger or so of the French apéritif Lillet on top. Guests enjoyed the sorbet with a small spoon, then drank what was left in the glass. Yummy stuff.

                Vive la cuisine française!

 Panna Cotta Salée au Bacon

 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 tbsp cool water

6 slices bacon (regular, not thick sliced)

1 cup minced onion

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 ½ cups half-and-half cream

1 cup sour cream

               In a flat bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water, making sure all the gelatin is moistened. Set aside.

                In a medium saucepan, simmer the bacon and onion in the butter until the onion is very soft, but not browned, about 10 minutes.  Drain through a wire strainer over a small bowl. Return to the saucepan and add the cream.  Simmer over very low heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

                In a blender or food processor, or with a hand blender, puree the cream, bacon and onion until very smooth.  Whisk in the sour cream and divide among four (for brunch) or six (for appetizer) serving bowls or small glasses.               

Chill for at least four and up to 24 hours.  Garnish with snipped chives to serve as an appetizer.  Or, for brunch, serve chilled with a salad of tomatoes and your preferred greens, dressed with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Serves four to six.

Chicken Soup for the Foodie Soul

                 I had a friend who’d had some surgery, and I wanted to take something to cheer her up. “Chicken Soup,” I thought, but this isn’t the kind of friend you’d send a plain chicken-noodle or chicken-rice soup. She is far too much of a foodie for that.

                I’d seen a few recipes for a Thai chicken soup and thought that would be right up her alley. Most call for lemongrass stalks and ginger root and coconut milk.  That sounded pretty good to me, so I took a few different recipes and put them together to my liking.

                I bet you don’t keep a spare lemongrass stalk or two in your fridge, and probably not always a knob of fresh ginger. I know I don’t, but I’ve found a great substitute for both. In the produce section of most markets are tubes of various seasoning pastes.

                The lemongrass has the advantage of being very finely textured. The fresh stalks are very fibrous and tough. If you use real lemongrass, either you must mince the usable part to almost a paste, or leave it in larger chunks and fish out later.

                Fresh ginger isn’t so hard to use, but I always buy a chunk and wind up with a dry shriveled end piece or two that I find later when I give my produce drawer a good cleaning.  I always keep both kinds of paste in my fridge. Of course, if you prefer, in this recipe you can substitute the same amount of very finely minced of either or both.

                The amount of chicken required here is about what you’ll get off one of the rotisserie chickens available almost anywhere you’d buy groceries.  Of course, you could roast your own chicken. I like including the dark meat of a whole chicken, but if you prefer all white meat you can roast or poach 1 ½ to 2 pounds of boneless chicken breast and shred that.

                I made enough to take to my friend and to keep some for ourselves.  For my friend I sent cilantro along with the sliced green onion for garnish. My husband isn’t fond of cilantro, so I used mint for our share. I’d be hard-pressed to say which version I preferred, so you may use either. 

                To accompany this soup, you might buy pre-shredded cole slaw mix, add some fine strips of red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro or mint. Dressed with a splash of bottled Asian sesame-ginger dressing and you have a meal fit for any foodie friends, sick or not.

 Alyce’s Thai Chicken Soup   

 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 plump cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

1 8-oz. container white button mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp. each lemongrass paste and ginger paste

2 tbsp. Thai sweet chili sauce (or more to taste)

4 cups chicken stock

1 can (14-16 oz.) coconut milk

4 to 5 cups shredded cooked chicken

Finely grated zest and juice of one lime

1 cup green onion, mostly the green part, sliced, for garnish

1 cup cilantro or mint leaves, chopped, for garnish

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges, for garnish

                Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to soften. Add the mushrooms, stir well to cover with the oil. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about five minutes. Add the sweet chili sauce, stock and coconut milk.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Add chicken and lime juice and zest and simmer another five minutes.

             Ladle into flat soup plates and sprinkle with green onion and herb of choice. Put a lime slice on the side to be squeezed over the top at the table. Serves six to eight.