Make chilled cucumber and avocado soup topped with spicy glazed shrimp. A refreshing cold seafood soup that balances creamy avocado, crisp cucumber and heat.
In a blender, combine the cucumber, avocados, buttermilk, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Strain the soup through a fine sieve and refrigerate until chilled, about 60 minutes.
In a large saucepan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shrimp shells, garlic, shallot, and carrot and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the shells are lightly brown, and the vegetables are softened for about 4 minutes. Add the peppercorns, coriander, crushed red pepper and cumin, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water, honey, and remaining one tablespoon of lime juice and bring to a boiling point. over moderate heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, for about 15 minutes. Strain the shrimp sauce into a heatproof bowl.
In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until simmering. Add the shrimp, with salt and pepper and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Turn the shrimps, add the shrimp sauce and simmer just until the shrimps are cooked through about 2 minutes. Swirl in the honey.
Place the shrimps in bowls, spoon the cucumber soup all around and drizzle the shrimp sauce on top. Sprinkle with the mint and serve right away.
The cucumber soup and shrimp sauce can be refrigerated overnight separately. Reheat the shrimp sauce gently before consumption.
This recipe connects to Soups Making 101 — learn the technique step by step in the video lessons.
Shrimp cook in minutes — watch for the curl and the color change, then get them off the heat immediately. If you'd like to go deeper, Soups Making 101 covers this in full.
If you'd ever like hands-on guidance for your own kitchen or restaurant, I also offer 1-on-1 coaching through OCS, or you can reach me directly for consulting at 911ChefEric.com.
Recipes come out right when you understand the method. Chef Eric’s courses teach the foundations step by step — knife skills, stocks, soups and classic French technique — with video lessons and short quizzes. Not sure where to start? OCRS™ will build your roadmap in five questions.
