Geoduck Winter Melon Soup

By á-170456

Ingredients

• 3 dried black mushrooms
• 2 ounces squid cleaned
• 8 ounces fresh winter melon in 1/2" cubes
• 4 ounces Geoduck clam meat (or giant clam or Manilla clam meat)
• 3 cups chicken stock (or canned chicken broth)
• 1/3 cup diced carrot
• 1/4 cup quartered button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons frozen peas thawed
• 1 tablespoon small diced smoked ham
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Soak the mushrooms in enough warm water to cover until softened. Drain, discard the stems and quarter the caps.

Separate the squid tentacles from the bodies. Leave the tentacles whole. Cut the bodies open along one side so they lie flat on the cutting board and lightly score the inner side in a small crisscross pattern. Cut the scored bodies into 1 1/2- by 2-inch pieces.

Bring a 2-quart saucepot of water to boil. Add the winter melon; cook until tender crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Blanch the clams and squid in the same water until the meat is opaque, about 30 seconds.

In a 3-quart saucepot combine the stock, carrots, both mushrooms, peas, ham, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the winter melon and seafood; cover and simmer until the seafood is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Ladle into the soup bowls.

This recipe yields 4 servings.