It's obvious I love food. I mean, isn't that why all of us are here giving this little ol' blog a bit of our time? Food not only nourishes us, but it can calm us, excite us, and bring us together. But food's not the only thing that can do that.
Branny, of Branny Boils Over, knows that. She loves and knows her food, but she also loves animals with every fiber of her being. Whenever she talks about her beloved pups, you can just tell she'd do anything for them. In fact, she'd do anything to help any animal in need. That's why she's hosting her Charity Souper Bowl. You see, just by sending her the info on this post and having her link it up to her blog, Branny will donate $1.00 to the ASPCA.
She's doing it in honor of all of her beloved animals and I'm participating to my beloved Barrett, our family's beautiful golden retriever who passed away of leukemia when she was only four years old. I was never an animal lover before Barrett. But the first time she laid her head on my freezing cold feet and looked up at me with her sweet eyes, I could just tell she was saying, "I love you. I'll always be here to keep your feet warm." I wish she was still here. All I have of her now is a bone-shaped charm engraved with her name.
So, in honor of Barrett, and all the other animals that need our help, I give you this Brazilian shrimp soup. It's high on flavor and spice. It will definitely keep you warm, kind of like Barrett kept me warm all those times.
Brazilian Shrimp Soup
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4c. long-grain rice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
5 c. water
1 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and cut in half horizontally
1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about seven minutes.
2. Add rice, red pepper flakes, salt, crushed tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for ten minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
3. Stir in the coconut milk. Return the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the shrimp. Simmer until shrimp is just cooked through, three to five minutes.
4. Stir in the pepper, lemon juice and cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves four to six.
one year ago: white chicken chili
two years ago: my first attempt at whole-wheat pita