The preparations for my first ever supper club are truly underway now. For those of you who may not know, I have decided to host a supper club or two in June and July (more details will follow in my next supper club post) and was also lucky enough to get a mention in Surrey Life.
The date has been set, June 25th. The menu has been decided. Now, it’s up to me to test, re-test and perfect the recipes. I have decided on a Thai based menu, largely because I feel that we, the Epsom dwellers could benefit from a supper club that provides it’s guests with the authentic flavours of South East Asia.
For research purposes and inspiration I have sought the help of the following people – David Thompson, Andy Oliver and Felicity Cloake.
I have been reading and testing recipes from “Thai Food” by David Thompson, visiting Som Saa where the food is insanely good and cooked by Andy Oliver, a seriously talented chef. Lastly, I have been trying to perfect my version of Tom Yum soup and have found that Felicity’s version from “How to cook the perfect” series in The Guardian has proved to be my favourite Tom Yum soup so far.
Tom Yum soup with prawns, just prawns, is what I have decided to go for. It is a soup with layer upon layer of flavour. Tom Yum soup is otherwise known as hot and sour soup and it is imperative to get the balance right when using your chilli and lime.
What I was amazed by when making this soup, was the focus on layering up the flavours of this complex yet balanced broth, beginning with a richly satisfying prawn stock. It is followed by the aromatics of lime leaves, lemon grass and galangal. The final additions to the soup are bird’s eye chillies, lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and prawns.
The end result of concocting this aromatic hot and sour soup is something incredibly special. The one slight downside is that I have found it to be an unphotogenic soup. It is all in the taste (not the looks) and what a taste sensation it is. I am hoping it will start my first supper club off with a Boom!
The recipe I used can be found HERE.
Some more Thai soup inspiration for you from around the web:
Thai coconut & beetroot soup – Recipes from a pantry
Thai roast pumpkin soup – Cook Sister
Thai squash, noodle & spinach soup by me
Thai coconut chicken soup – Rasa Malaysia
Coconut lemongrass tofu soup – Food to glow
Thai sweet potato soup – Casa Costello
I am linking my tom yum soup with prawns up to #supersoup at Jo’s Kitchen.
For more information on my future supper clubs, get in touch at:
lauraDOTcooksetcATgmailDOTcom
What a wonderful and delicious soup, perfect with some fresh crusty bread.
Thanks Nanya, I think I need to practice my roti making skills ;))
I love Tom Yum soup and haven’t had it for far too long – thanks for reminding me to make it again:-)
I love it too and also it’s great for a starter as it isn’t too heavy, just packed full of flavour.
Oh wow Laura this looks like my kind of soup – love a spicy broth and especially one packed with Thai flavours. How wonderful that you’re getting into the Supperclub scene – Epsom is very lucky!
Thanks Katie, I am hoping there are enough locals to keep me busy for a while and there isn’t much competition on the supper club scene which helps 🙂
Ooh how exciting! I don’t think I would ever have the courage to host a supper club. I’m sending you lots of positive good luck vibes! Lovely recipe to start with! 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth, I will let you know how it goes!
what a great soup – one of my favourites!
good luck with the supper club event – am sure it will be brilliant
Thanks Nazima, a definite favourite of mine too 🙂
One of my all time favourite soups. Yum. How absolutely delicious. I am going to make some tomorrow for lunch.
I hope you do Anita, such a great soup!
Wow! Such a brave thing to do! Not in terms of ability of course but just having a go at being a restaurateur and all that entails. I look forward to reading your menu and how you will be planning the evening. You have the distinct advantage of already cooking for groups, but I imagine this ia whole new level of preparation and execution. All best for the evenings ahead! PS I too sometimes turn to Felicity when researching a “known” recipe, if you know why I mean.
Kellie, I agree cooking for a supper club is all about the prep but I can imagine you as an organised person and that is all you really have to be, apart from physically strong as it is very busy on your feet. I love Felicity too, between her and David Thompson, the Tom Yum soup is a winner!
I used to make a tom yum soup from a Nigella book years ago but it seems to have been something I’d forgotten about lately, probably because it wouldn’t appeal to Ted. But I will have to seek out some new Tom Yum paste and satisfy my own cravings!
You should Sarah, although agree it isn’t something my kids would eat. Ted will have to wait a few years yet!