March 13: Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Nookle Bowl

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper or chili flakes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
   2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated
1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut lengthwise into sticks
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 cup seafood stock or clam juice
1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 pound vermicelli
4 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces, then sliced lengthwise into thin sticks

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken stock and seafood stock. Put a lid on the pot and bring the soup to a boil.

Add the shrimp and noodles and cook for 3 minutes;

add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning and serve.

6 SERVINGS

This is a nice simple meal for a Sunday night. You just throw some ingredients in a pot and let them cook. Not much prep work and not very many ingredients make for a nice change.

Rachael suggests this to be 4 servings, but it could easily serve 6 to 8. Here are some changes I made: I grated the ginger instead of cutting into matchsticks, I used white mushrooms instead of shiitakes - they're so much cheaper, and I couldn't find seafood stock, so I used an extra cup of chicken stock. Super simple and nice flavors. It's a keeper.