Spicy Shrimp Soup
Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from ATK
A nod to a shrimp boil, this soup delivers a taste of the South—fast. You should adjust the quantity of carrots and potatoes to your liking. I have doubled the amount of Kielbasa from the original and added the step of making shrimp stock from the shells and tails to improve flavor. This is a pepper forward dish, so you can omit the ½ tsp until adjust the seasoning at the end.
- 2TBS vegetable oil
- 2-4carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
- 1onion, halved and sliced thin
- 2-4celery ribs, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1½TBS Old Bay seasoning
- 5cups water or shrimp stock
- 1-2lbs red or white potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 114-16 oz Kielbasa, sliced on bias ½ inch thick
- ½tsp pepper
- ¼tsp table salt
- 1lb extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb), peeled, deveined, shells and tails reserved
- 1cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
- Special Equipment: soup sock (optional)
Make Shrimp Stock:
If you have a soup sock you can skip this step. Place 5 cups of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Add shrimp shells and tails from at least 1 lb of shrimp. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Strain into another heat proof container, pressing on shells to extract most of liquid. Discard shells.
Cook Vegetables:
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onion, and celery and cook until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Cook Soup:
Stir in Old Bay and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
If using a soup sock, put shells and tails into the sock and add to the Dutch oven. Stir in water.
If not using a soup sock, add the strained shrimp stock to the Dutch oven.
Add potatoes, sausage, pepper (can be omitted until adjusting seasoning), and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are barely tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and corn. Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with a nice country boule (bread).