Shrimp, Rice, & Shiitake Mushroom Soup

This Soup is the Perfect Weeknight Recipe

• The soup is a complete meal all on its own.
• Living in a land-locked state, frozen seafood is generally the best option available to me and frozen shrimp is just as delicious in here as fresh.
• It's the kind of meal that fills you up without weighing you down.
• Even though seafood doesn't generally make great leftovers, this soup is delicious when gently reheated and will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
• Many of the ingredients are things I generally have in my pantry, requiring only a quick stop at the market to pick up some shiitake mushrooms, fresh herbs, and green onions.

What to Know About Buying Shrimp

Did you know shrimp is the most popular kind of seafood in the US, with the average American eating about 4 lbs of shrimp every year?

Even though some shrimp is harvested in the US, about 94% of it is imported, with most of it coming from aquaculture operations in places such as Mexico, Ecuador, Southeast Asia, China, and India.

Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and unfortunately, much of the time, it's not done in a way that is sustainable or healthy - for us or the environment.

However, over the past few years, there have been significant improvements in how shrimp are raised and harvested.

This is good news. The bad news is that improved aquaculture practices doesn't automatically mean the shrimp don't contain antibiotic residues or pathogens.

If this concerns you, as it does me, there is a resource I'd like to share with you: Seafood Watch. The site includes a wealth of information to help consumers choose seafood that's fished or farmed in a way that supports a healthy ocean. It also includes a handy list of  shrimp recommendations, organized by the simple labels of "best", "good", and "avoid". 

Shiitake Mushrooms are Delicious and Good For You!

Don't you just love it when the foods you love also love you??? Shiitake mushrooms are one of those foods that delivers big on both flavor and nutrition. This is great, because after eating my mushrooms, I'm probably going to have a chocolate chip cookie.

Everything in moderation, including moderation.

I LOVE shiitake mushrooms in this soup because they add a rich earthiness that balances out the bright flavors of tomato and lime, and providing contrast to fresh seafood. 

Even better, shiitake mushrooms are low in calories, offer a decent amount of fiber, and a host of vitamins, minerals, and other health promoting compounds.

Having said that, the same qualities can be found in most varieties of mushrooms. So, feel free to swap out the shiitakes with another variety if you like.

A Quick Word About Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is the perfect example of the kind of thing for which a little goes a long way. Sometimes more isn't better, and a little actually does equal a lot.

Fish sauce is sweet, salty, fishy, and funky, and at first sniff you might wonder why you'd ever want to use it in anything you actually want to taste good.

But here's the thing... fish sauce delivers a hefty about of umami - that earthy, savory flavor that transforms one-dimensional dishes into something complex and crave worthy.

When used in small doses, fish sauce will NOT make a dish taste fishy. There's a super pungent fishiness to the sauce, for sure.

But the sauce also contains a kind of salty, caramely sweetness that intensifies and balances the other ingredients. It's the kind of ingredient that contributes more than its share of flavor, so use it with caution and reap the benefits.

Like most things, the quality of the fish sauce you choose is important. There are hundreds of varieties out there and many of them are mediocre to terrible. My favorite brand is Red Boat. It's made with slowly fermented anchovies and salt and has a fresh flavor that I feel is lacking in many varieties. 

Red Boat is a bit pricier than a lot of other varieties, but as is often the case, you get what you pay for. Besides, as we've already discussed, you don't need to use much, and when stored in the refrigerator, it'll last for at least a year.

More popular soup recipes:

• Black Bean Tomato Soup
• Red Lentil Soup with Ham
• Spanish Potato Soup
• Thai Pork and Noodle Soup
• Zuppa Toscana with Bacon, Sausage, Potatoes, and Cream

One last thing - I've recently discovered that a tablespoon or two of miso butter added to this soup right before serving is out of this world delicious. Miso butter takes about 5 minutes to make but adds a crazy amount of umami-rich flavor to anything it touches. One caveat is that it's quite salty, so if you plan to add it, reduce the amount of salt in the soup.

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.