A Summer Soup – Shrimp Gazpacho

When I think of gazpacho I always think Mexican food, but that’s not where this delicious summer soup comes from.

We know it as a generic cold soup, but it was originally made in Spain and served warm. It was traditionally made with stale bread, olive oil, some kind of liquid and any raw vegetable or nuts they happened to have. The word, gazpacho, is a derivative of the Arabic word for soaked bread.

One theory of it’s origin is that it came from the Andalusian region of Spain, with influences from Greece, Moors and Arab cultures. It wasn’t until the 16th century when tomatoes and cucumbers were brought to Spain from the New World that it became what we think of as Gazpacho now.

This recipe has shrimp and can be a main dish, served either hot or cold. Cold is perfect for a hot summer day.

Here’s How to Do it:

Start by cooking the shrimp. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Wash and lightly dry the shrimp, then sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Gently sauté on medium-low until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.

Remove from the pan and let cool, then transfer to the refrigerator until your ready to assemble the soup.

Next, cut the vegetables –

and 2 slices of bread into chunks. Be sure to remove the crusts from the bread.

Put them and the remaining ingredients, except the sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and cumin, into a food processor and pulse until it’s all chopped fine.

Transfer it to a blender and add the remaining ingredients  (except the shrimp) into a blender. Process until it’s pureed. Add any more seasonings to taste.

Put into the refrigerator to chill.

Now the croutons. On a hot summer day the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven. The croutons can be made early in the morning or even a few days in advance. Just keep them refrigerated in a ziplock bag until you’re ready to serve the summer soup.

Cut the last 6 slices of bread into cubes (no crusts).

Melt the butter, then stir in the parmesan.

Pour the mixture over the bread and let it soak in for a few minutes.

Lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer

and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. When they are golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool.

And finally, serving! Gently stir the shrimp into the soup.

Place into four bowls and top with 1/4 of the croutons. Serve hot or cold, and enjoy!!

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

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Shrimp Gazpacho

A delicious soup perfect for the summer harvest.

Course: dinner, lunch, main dish, Soup

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: bread, cold, cucumber, jalepeno, olive oil, tomatoes

Servings: 4 bowls

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and shelled, tails off
• 2/3 cup high quality olive oil, preferably Spanish
• 1 cup V-8 juice
• 1 cup cucumber - traditionally Persian or Kirby
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper
• 2 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic (be careful not to do too much - raw garlic can be over powering.)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2+ teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4+ teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Croutons

• 6 slices thick sliced white bread, crusts removed
• 2/3 cup butter, salted
• 1/4 cup canned parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Start by cooking the shrimp. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Wash and lightly dry the shrimp, then sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

2. Gently sauté on medium-low until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.

3. Remove from the pan and let cool, then transfer to the refrigerator until your ready to assemble the soup.

4. Next, cut the vegetables and 2 slices of bread into chunks. Be sure to remove the crusts from the bread.

5. Put them and the remaining ingredients, except the sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and cumin, into a food processor and pulse until it's all chopped fine.

6. Transfer it to a blender and add the remaining ingredients  (except the shrimp) into a blender. Process until it's pureed. Add any more seasonings to taste.

7. Put into the refrigerator to chill. 

8. Make the croutons (see below) 

9. And finally, serving! Gently stir the shrimp into the soup. Place into four bowls and top with 1/4 of the croutons. Serve hot or cold, and enjoy!!

Croutons

1. Now the croutons. Cut the last 6 slices of bread into cubes (no crusts).

2. Melt the butter, then stir in the parmesan.

3. Pour the mixture over the bread and let it soak in for a few minutes.

4. Lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. When they are golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool.

   (See notes below)

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Croutons can be made a few days in advance. When they are cool, place them in a sealed ziplock back and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

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