tangy coconut lime soup.

so, i didn't feel like making a big, grand meal. & i had some leftover ingredients hanging out in the fridge. my basil (which i bought only a week ago!) was beginning to wilt. there were scallions boring holes in my very being every time i opened the crisper. and the pre-seasoned chicken thighs i'd cooked last tuesday were just sitting in their own juices. angry. neglected. unloved. so, i decided to make a soup. this soup is somewhat complicated, but all the way awesome. it's an all-day-long recipe.

ingredients and instructions are posted in the order of their addition to the soup. omit or add what you like, where you like, w/ the exception of the lime vegetable broth -- the addition of coconut milk really cuts its flavor.

lime vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, skinned, whole
6 scallions
4 celery stalks
6 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
juice of 1 lime
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
crushed red pepper (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tbsp ground thyme

olive oil

in a stockpot, add scallions, garlic, and olive oil. saute all until scallions become fragrant. add spices, carrots, celery, and water. bring to a boil. lower to a simmer; cook until carrots and celery are soft. remove celery, carrots & scallions. add coconut milk. bring to a full boil; lower to a simmer. add more seasoning & the juice of up to 3 more limes per your taste.

this is where the recipe gets all choose your adventure for folks. veggies/ vegans/ ppl w/ no desire to add meat: turn off the soup, add veggies of your choice. i like bell peppers, broccoli, sliced carrots, a diced onion.

for the meaties:

this is where i threw in some leftover bone-in, skin-on, seasoned really well chicken thighs. 3 of them. and all their drippings. i simmered everything until the meat fell off the bone. i then added more spices, turn the pot off, added broccoli, bell peppers, and mushrooms, and served w/ white rice.

serves as many as you want, depending on how much you make... or how many ppl you have to feed to begin with.