Southeast Asian Coconut & Lemongrass Broth with Scallops & Shrimps

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green curry paste
2 cups water
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, coarsely chopped
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Salt — to taste

For the Seafood and Vegetables:

12 sea scallops
12 colossal shrimp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 1-pound bunch asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 organic carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
4 ounces snow peas, stringed
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Method:

To make the Sauce:

Heat the oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 minutes or until soft.  Stir in the turmeric.  Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the green curry paste and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes.  

Add the water, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the coconut milk. Return to a boil over high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.  

Strain the sauce through a fine meshed sieve and return the sauce to the saucepan. Discard the solids in the sieve. You will have about 2 ½ cups of sauce. Season the sauce to taste with salt.  Cover and keep the sauce warm.

To prepare the Seafood and Vegetables:

Place a large non stick sauté pan over high heat and allow the pan to get very hot for 2 to 3 minutes.  Sprinkle the scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper.  Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan.  

Place the scallops in the hot pan and fry until dark golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and fry until dark golden brown on the bottom and just cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat another large sauté pan over high heat until it is very hot. Add 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil to the hot pan.  Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the same pan with the scallops.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil to the same pan that was used to cook the shrimp. Return the pan over high heat. 

Add the asparagus, carrots and snow peas, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.  Divide the vegetables among 4 large serving bowls.  Divide the shrimp and scallops among the serving bowls.  Ladle the broth over the vegetables and seafood.  Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.