Spicy Shrimp and Noodles

If you can’t tell, I’m on a soup kick lately. In Florida there are really only a few months out of the year where you can actually eat soup without breaking a sweat. With cooler temperatures headed this way and a newly functioning stove top (that’s a story for another day) I’m breaking out my enameled cast iron pot and cooking up a storm. Soups, Chili’s, Stocks…you name it, this week I’m all over it!

When I first spotted this recipe in a magazine I envisioned a strong fish stock with big punches of ginger and a kick of heat from the chili paste; however after making it I found the flavors to be pretty mild and surprisingly sweet. The cilantro and lime brighten the sweetness of the shrimp and the chili paste brings just enough heat to make things interesting. If you’re a seafood lover like me I recommend trying this dish soon, start off with a teaspoon of chili paste then bump up the heat to your liking. I made a lot of modifications to the original recipe mainly using egg noodles instead of rice sticks, broccoli instead of snap peas and omitted the onion completely. So be creative and feel free to make this your own…omit the shrimp and use shredded chicken instead, or use rice instead of pasta. Next time I’m thinking bean sprouts and extra firm tofu. Point being experiment in your kitchen, every recipe can be tweaked to your liking.

Spicy Shrimp and Noodles
Serves 4

1 pound fresh shrimp, deveined and peeled with tails on
1 8oz bottle of clam juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 ½ cups water
Fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 2 pieces of ¼” diameter coins
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 teaspoons chili paste (I ended up using a tablespoon and it was just enough heat for me) or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup egg noodles
Fresh cilantro and lime juice for garnish

Remove shrimp tails and add to a medium sauce pan. Add clam juice, water, chicken stock and ginger to the pot with the shrimp tails and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Pass liquid through a strainer and reserve for later.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Toss in the bell pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Now pour in the reserved fish stock and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp, chili paste, salt and egg noodles then cover and allow to cook 7 minutes or until noodles are almost done. Remove the lid and toss in the broccoli florets and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked and the broccoli is tender.

Serve in bowls garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.