This recipe is John Boutte's contribution to WWOZ's cookbook, That Sounds Good! The combination of carrot, ginger, and coconut milk is delicious and comforting. Fennel adds another light-sweet note, and the result, exotic yet familiar, perfectly complements the shrimp. Once the shrimp prep is done, this soup comes together very quickly and easily; it's filling and substantial, great for wintertime.
Ingredients
2 pounds carrots
1 thumb-size piece of ginger root
About 7 oz of coconut milk
2-1/2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp
2 teaspoons fresh fennel fronds
Lemon zest to taste
Salt to taste
Black sesame seeds or freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
Boil the carrots and ginger in water to cover in a sauce pan for 20 minutes; drain, reserving the water.
Puree the carrots and ginger. Combine with the cooking water and coconut milk in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Add the shrimp and fennel.
Cook for 6 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.
Turn off the heat.
Add the lemon zest and salt.
Garnish with sesame seeds.
Serve hot. Enjoy!
--John Boutte
You can find this recipe and more like it from Louisiana musicians and other friends of WWOZ in our cookbook: That Sounds Good!
Steeped in the local music culture and born into musical greatness, John Boutte’s career spans his lifetime from junior high marching bands to touring Europe and the Far East with the U.S. Army’s Gospel choir, to singing with some of the New Orleans greats like Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, and James Booker. John has now ventured into television scores and acting roles but continues to perform in the music clubs of New Orleans.
