We had this last night. I LOVED it. The daughter-units found it
too spicy. SWMBO enjoyed it but admitted that she thought the
chile was overpowering. It's quick and easy and very filling.

Shrimp, Ancho Chile, and Pasta Soup (Sopa seca de Camarones y
Fideos) Fideos (vermicelli) are much loved in Mexico, where they
form the basis of thick, delicious soups. Usually the soups are
served as a first course, but our hearty shrimp version is a meal
in a bowl. Prep and Cook Time: about 35 minutes. Notes: Good dried
chiles are soft, flexible, and smell a bit like prunes. Avoid
hard, brittle specimens-they're old and less flavorful.

Ingredients

2 dried ancho or pasilla chiles
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces dried vermicelli or fideos, broken in thirds
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound (30 to 35 per lb.) peeled, deveined shrimp, tails left on
Kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Diced avocado (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
1. Break stems off chiles and shake out seeds. In a small bowl,
cover chiles with hot water and let stand until softened, 5 to 10
minutes. Drain and coarsely chop.

2. Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a 12-in. nonstick frying pan
over medium-low heat. Add pasta; stir and turn often with tongs
until almost golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in anise and cumin
seeds, onion, and garlic. Lift pasta so it mostly sits on top of
onion mixture, then cook onion mixture, stirring often, until
softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Stir in chiles and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer over high
heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, 3 minutes; add shrimp
and simmer until pasta is tender to the bite, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Season to taste with salt.

4. Spoon soup into wide, shallow bowls. Top each serving with a
spoonful of sour cream and some avocado, if you like, and sprinkle
with cilantro.

How Hot Is Your Chile? To assess a chile's heat, slice off its top
through the ribs and seeds, where the heat-producing compound
capsaicin is concentrated. Touch the slice to your tongue. If you
want your food to be milder, split the chile and scrape out all or
some of the ribs and seeds. If your skin is sensitive, wear
kitchen gloves or hold the chiles with a fork-and don't touch your
eyes.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Yield

Makes 4 servings
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 420(30% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 2g); PROTEIN 32g;
CHOLESTEROL 164mg; SODIUM 737mg; FIBER 3.7g; CARBOHYDRATE 42g

Sunset, JANUARY 2008
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...e_id=16 94231

The Ranger
--
"Everyone is subject to the laws of Darwinism whether or not they
believe in them, agree with them, or accept them. There is no
trial, no jury, no argument, and no appeal."
-- Anonymous

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> We had this last night. I LOVED it. The daughter-units found it too spicy.
> SWMBO enjoyed it but admitted that she thought the chile was overpowering.
> It's quick and easy and very filling.
>
> Shrimp, Ancho Chile, and Pasta Soup (Sopa seca de Camarones y Fideos)
> Fideos (vermicelli) are much loved in Mexico, where they form the basis of
> thick, delicious soups. Usually the soups are served as a first course,
> but our hearty shrimp version is a meal in a bowl. Prep and Cook Time:
> about 35 minutes. Notes: Good dried chiles are soft, flexible, and smell a
> bit like prunes. Avoid hard, brittle specimens-they're old and less
> flavorful.
>
> Ingredients
>
> 2 dried ancho or pasilla chiles
> 3 tablespoons olive oil
> 6 ounces dried vermicelli or fideos, broken in thirds
> 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
> 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
> 1 medium onion, chopped
> 2 large garlic cloves, minced
> 1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth
> 1 pound (30 to 35 per lb.) peeled, deveined shrimp, tails left on
> Kosher salt
> 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
> Diced avocado (optional)
> 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
>
> Preparation
> 1. Break stems off chiles and shake out seeds. In a small bowl, cover
> chiles with hot water and let stand until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain
> and coarsely chop.
>
> 2. Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a 12-in. nonstick frying pan over
> medium-low heat. Add pasta; stir and turn often with tongs until almost
> golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in anise and cumin seeds, onion, and garlic.
> Lift pasta so it mostly sits on top of onion mixture, then cook onion
> mixture, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
>
> 3. Stir in chiles and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer over high heat,
> then reduce heat to medium and simmer, 3 minutes; add shrimp and simmer
> until pasta is tender to the bite, 3 to 4 minutes more. Season to taste
> with salt.
>
> 4. Spoon soup into wide, shallow bowls. Top each serving with a spoonful
> of sour cream and some avocado, if you like, and sprinkle with cilantro.
>
> How Hot Is Your Chile? To assess a chile's heat, slice off its top through
> the ribs and seeds, where the heat-producing compound capsaicin is
> concentrated. Touch the slice to your tongue. If you want your food to be
> milder, split the chile and scrape out all or some of the ribs and seeds.
> If your skin is sensitive, wear kitchen gloves or hold the chiles with a
> fork-and don't touch your eyes.
>
> Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
> Yield
>
> Makes 4 servings
> Nutritional Information
>
> CALORIES 420(30% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 2g); PROTEIN 32g; CHOLESTEROL
> 164mg; SODIUM 737mg; FIBER 3.7g; CARBOHYDRATE 42g
>
> Sunset, JANUARY 2008
> http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...e_id=16 94231
>
> The Ranger
> --
> "Everyone is subject to the laws of Darwinism whether or not they believe
> in them, agree with them, or accept them. There is no trial, no jury, no
> argument, and no appeal."
> -- Anonymous
>

How did your daughter do with the chili peppers? I remember reading that
the effects are seen when taken internally (versus the capcisium rubs).
-ginny

Virginia Tadrzynski > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> How did your daughter do with the chili peppers? I remember
> reading that the effects are seen when
> taken internally (versus the capcisium rubs).

They used the usual pantomimes and exaggerated movements showing
that it was "too spicy." Then they bulked up on Habaneras Doritos
and Red Hot Cheetos.

Go figure.

The Ranger