Hangover Soup

Recipe from executive chef Gregory Chavez

Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge

1015 Orange Ave., Coronado

619-437-6087

leroyskitchenandlounge.com

A veritable neighborhood hangout, Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge offers fresh, local, sustainable food, specializing in eclectic cuisine that changes with the season to provide diverse flavors year round. Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge partners with local farmers, brewers and manufacturers to create a farm-to-table dining experience.

This style of soup was requested by David Spatafore, the owner of Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge. “I was excited to explore the different food options,” says chef Gregory Chavez, “which resulted in our hangover soup. I was inspired to create this recipe because I cook similar variations frequently at home.  Sometimes I use shrimp and make the stock from the shrimp shells, or I make a beef variation using stew meat. To me this is comfort food.”

All the Asian ingredients can be found at 99 Ranch in Clairemont Mesa.

Hangover Soup

Serves: 4

Stock

4 quarts vegetable stock

1 stock lemon grass, sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves

3 tablespoons ginger, sliced

2 tablespoons garlic, sliced

1/2 bunch cilantro stems

1 medium-sized jalapeño, cut in half, lengthwise 

1 star anise

3 cloves 

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seed oil

1 lime (juice only)

Salt to taste 

• Use one large stockpot and add vegetable stock, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, garlic, cilantro stems, jalapeño, star anise, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Keep stock after strained, but discard all else. Place strained stock back into stockpot.
• Add soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime juice to the stock. Season with salt to taste. Place stockpot back on stove and bring to a simmer.

 Noodles and vegetables

4 quarts water

1 pack dry rice noodles (14 oz.)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup diced sweet potato

4 ounces thinly sliced white onion

6 thinly sliced beech mushrooms

2 ounces sugar snap peas

3 cups hard-packed Swiss chard

2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly chopped

1 carrot, thinly matchbook sliced 

4 tablespoons chopped green onion and cilantro mixed

2 limes cut into wedges

1/2 bunch Thai basil

1/4 pound bean sprouts

• In a new pot, boil 4 quarts of water and cook noodles for three minutes.
• Strain noodles and then rinse under ice cold water until noodles have cooled.
• Heat a large sauté pan on high heat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add sweet potato, onion, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, Swiss chard, cabbage and carrot and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Divide noodles evenly into four bowls. Add vegetables evenly into all four bowls.
• Ladle stock over noodles and vegetables and garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro mix.
• Place, lime wedges, bean sprouts and thai basil on a separate plate and add to soup as desired.

*Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge adds a Niman Ranch poached egg, crispy pork belly and a side of hot chili-flake oil to its soup.