GILROY GARLIC SEAFOOD SOUP

GILROY GARLIC SEAFOOD SOUP image

Number Of Ingredients 18

1-1/2 pounds mussels, in shells
1-1/2 pounds clams, in shells
1-1/2 pounds red snapper fillets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1/2 cup grated fresh ginger
1 cup finely minced garlic (about 2 heads),
2 cups "lite" coconut milk
1 cup finely minced sweet onion (about 2 small onions)
1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, finely diced
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves,finely minced, divided use
1 jalapeno pepper (or serrano if you like it very hot)
1 ripe banana (overripe is even better); thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium tomato, finely diced
4 limes (1 juiced for broth; 2 or 3 cut into wedges for serving)
1/2 cup clam broth
1 teaspoons saffron

Steps:

Debeard mussels if needed. Scrub clams - if they feel too gritty, try soaking them in very salty ice water, and they should expel their grit. Cut snapper into 2-inch pieces. Set seafood aside. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat Y. cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger, half the garlic and the onion. When mixture becomes fragrant, add red and yellow bell pepper and tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat to "warm" ,and cover. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add remaining garlic, juice from 1lime, clams, mussels and clam broth. Cover pan and allow mixture to cook for 7 minutes. Uncover shellfish and discard any clams and mussels that have not opened. Add saffron, coc,onut milk, snapper pieces, half the cilantro, jalapeno pepper, banana and the bell pepper mixture from the skillet. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. (The banana will thicken the soup and will impart a sweet/sour taste. Banana should completely break down during cooking.) Uncover soup; sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Portion into bowls (be sure to remove jalapeno pepper) and serve with lots of crusty bread and extra lime wedges.