Recipe: Shrimp, Green Pepper, and Sweet Potato Stew

Shrimp, Green Pepper & Sweet Potato Stew
Serves 4
Powerful flavors prevail in this sweet-potato-thickened shellfish stew. Serve as a main course, if desired, with an orange salad alongside.

2 1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
3/4 cup canned chicken broth diluted with 3/4 cup water, or 1 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 TB fresh lemon juice
Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

In small bowl or cup, combine cumin, coriander, ginger, black pepper and cayenne. In medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tsp of spice mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature while you simmer soup. In Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, combine remaining spice mixture, sweet potatoes, diluted chicken broth, onion and garlic. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup of sweet potatoes to a bowl and mash. Stir mashed potatoes back into stew. Add shrimp and bell pepper, cover and cook, stirring once, until shrimp are just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve hot.