Jean B. wrote:

>> If none of that works for you for some reason, you can always cut up the
>> scallops and put them into a long-cooked Szechuan-style broth. I've got a
>> recipe for a Chinese soup containing squid rings and scallops which are
>> simmered together in a spicy broth until the squid rings balloon into
>> little tire-shapes and the scallops completely fall apart into little
>> threads.
>>
> That sounds really interesting. Recipe? Or reference to the recipe,
> please?


Seafood Surprise Soup (adapted from _Chopstix_ by Hugh Carpenter)

"The sea scallops are simmered in a spicy chicken broth for an hour, which
causes them to break apart into tender little threads -- that's the
surprise!"

1/3 pound sea scallops
2 small squid, cleaned, skinned, and cut into rings (tentacles reserved for
another use)
6 thin slices fresh ginger
6 cups chicken broth
2 small chiles of your choice, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 sprigs cilantro
2 eggs
1 tablespoon dry sherry
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
About 1 teaspoon salt

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

Pull off the little muscle flap from each scallop. Combine the scallops,
squid rings, ginger, broth, and sliced chiles. Bring to a low simmer, cover,
and cook for one hour. Discard the ginger, then use a fork to press on the
scallops to break them apart into little threads.

LAST-MINUTE PREPARATION:

Bring the broth to a low boil. Beat the eggs well, then stir 2 tablespoons
of hot soup into the eggs to warm them. Pour the eggs in a thin stream into
the soup stock, stirring where the eggs hit the hot liquid. Stir in the
sherry, lemon juice, sesame oil, and white pepper. Add salt to taste.

Turn the soup into a tureen or individual bowls. Stir in the green onions
and cilantro. Serve at once.

Serves 2 as an entree, or 4 to 6 as the soup course.


BOB'S NOTES: The original recipe didn't have squid, but it's a nice
addition. You can play around with the broth as you like: In this recipe it
appears to be a variation of hot-and-sour soup, but I've used the broth from
Thai soups (with hot chiles, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves) to good
effect. You can add whatever vegetables you'd like; I've mixed and matched
carrots, bamboo shoots, snow peas, baby corn, and cauliflower florets in the
broth, all of which worked fine. Although this soup has plenty of protein
with the scallops, squid, and eggs, you can add more in the form of tofu
cubes if you want.

Bob