Shrimp & Leek Miso Soup

Tonight I didn't feel like cooking very much, so I whipped up a bowl of miso soup with veggies I found in the fridge.  I had a leek in there, which is on the verge of starting to go bad, so I tried to start using it up, and I quickly thawed out some shrimp.  Leek, shrimp, diakon, and miso sounded really good in my head.  And it even sort of looks pretty.  But this turned out to be not one of my most flavorful soups.  I think I didn't like the acidic flavor of the diakon in the soup, and I've found out the miso and shrimp is not my favorite combination.  Good flavors, just not together in my opinion.  I should probably just make a good old-fashioned wakame and tofu miso soup to share with all of yinz.  Will do, but first I need to get my hands on some tofu!

Shrimp & Leek Miso Soup

Ingredients:

4 shrimp, pealed and deveined
1/2 leek (cut the leek down the middle lengthwise), well rinsed
1/2 in. diakon, pealed
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1/4 c. water
1 tsp. dashi granules
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sake
2 tsp. red miso (white miso will work, too)
sesame seeds (optional, to serve)

Put the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.  When reconstituted, squeeze the excess liquid from the shiitake and slice into 3/8 in. strips.

Chop the leek into 1/2 in. strips and the diakon into 1/8 in. strips.

Boil the measured water in a pot and add the dashi granules, soy sauce, and sake.  Stir to dissolve the dashi granules.  Add the leek and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened.

Add the diakon, shiitake, and shrimp to the soup and cook until the shrimp turn pink/red.

Add the miso and turn off the heat.  Stir until the miso has been dissolved.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.