Garlic Seafood Soup

· 4 Servings

This delicious entree soup owes its complex flavor in part to - of all things - banana. It breaks down during the cooking, which helps to thicken the broth, but not before bestowing a sweet-sour taste and its fragrance..

Ingredients:

· 3/4 pound mussels
· 3/4 pound clams
· 3/4 pound red snapper fillets
· 1/4 cup Virgin Coco de Manila Culinary Lauric Oil
· 1/4 cup grated ginger root
· 1/2 cup finely minced sweet onion
· 1/2 cup finely minced garlic
· 1/2 of one red, one yellow medium bell pepper, diced
· 1 small tomato, seeded and diced
· 2 limes (1 juiced for broth, 1 cut into wedges for garnish)
· 1/4 cup clam broth
· 3/4 teaspoon saffron
· 1 cup coconut milk
· 11/2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
· 1 small jalapeño pepper
· 1 small banana, thinly sliced
· Salt
· Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse and, if necessary, de-beard the mussels. Scrub the clams (and soak them in salted ice water if gritty). Cut the red snapper into 2-inch pieces. Set the seafood aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the virgin coconut oil. Add the ginger, onion and half the garlic, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes fragrant (1 minute or so), increase heat to medium-high and add the bell peppers and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, the clams, mussels and clam broth. Cover the pan and cook for 7 minutes. Discard any clams and mussels that did not open.
4. Add the saffron, coconut milk, red snapper, half the cilantro, the jalapeño pepper, banana and the bell-pepper mixture from the skillet, stirring to combine. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the jalapeño and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information Per serving:

· 534 calories · 42 grams protein · 27 grams carbohydrates · 31 grams fat · 74 milligrams cholesterol · 425 milligrams sodium · 2 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe adapted from the Philidephia Inquirer web site.