Gordon's Great Escape

This spicy seafood soup that Gordon picked up from his great escape to Thailand will certainly warm your cockles

Serves 6

• 2 litres fish stock
• 6 lemongrass, bashed
• 4cm piece galangal, sliced
• 12 shrimp heads
• 6-8 Thai shallots, peeled and sliced
• 4-6 bird’s eye chillies, cut in half
• 2 small turmeric roots, peeled and sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• Squeeze of lime juice
• 3 tbsp fish sauce

For the clams

• 400g clams
• ½ bottle white wine
• 2 bunches coriander root, bashed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the vegetables

• 400g mixed mushrooms including enoki, oyster and shiitake
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Small handful of holy or sweet basil, shredded
• Kaffir lime leaves, shredded
• Coriander root, finely sliced

For the seafood

• 4 snapper fillets, scaled and cut into slices
• 2 squid, cleaned, scored and cut into bite sized pieces
• 12 shrimps, peeled (heads and shells reserved for stock)
• 12 oysters, shucked

To garnish

• Chive flowers, to garnish

1. Place the fish stock in a large saucepan and add the lemongrass, galangal and shrimp heads. Add the shallots and allow to infuse over a gentle heat.

2. Grind the chillies and turmeric together using a pestle and mortar then add to the broth along with the lime leaves, juice and fish sauce.

3. Heat a separate pan or wok and add the clams along with the white wine, coriander root and seasoning. Cover with a lid and allow to steam for a few minutes until the clams have opened and are cooked (discard any that remain closed). Strain, reserving the liquid, then add the clam juice to the pot of broth and reserve the clams for later.

4. Simmer the broth gently for 15-20 minutes until all the flavours have infused then strain into a clean pan and add the mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, lime leaves and coriander root. Allow to cook for a few minutes to soften.

5. Stir in the snapper, heat for 1-2 minutes then stir in the squid and shrimps. Continue to cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the fish is cooked then add the oysters and reserved clams and cook for a further minute.

6. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with chive flowers.