Cucumber Avocado Soup with Spicy Shrimp
This Cucumber Avocado Soup with Spicy Shrimp is a refreshing and flavorful cold soup that's perfect for warm weather. The creamy avocado and crisp cucumber form the base, while spicy glazed shrimp add an exciting kick. Here's a summary of the recipe:
Servings: 6
Calories: 65kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 medium avocados, pitted, peeled and quartered
- 0.5 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
- 12 large shrimps, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
- 0.5 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 0.5 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Freshly ground pepper
- 8 large mint leaves, chopped
Instructions
- 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. Simmer 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, season 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 cold soup 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.