Avocado Shrimp Bisque

• Posted by Sonia Mendez Garcia 
• View Blog

Yields up to 6 servings

Ingredients: 

For Shrimp:
1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and peeled
*reserve shrimp shells
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper
1/3 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco hot sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking

Tips~ A quick saute is all you need for the shrimp. It will continue to cook even after you remove it from the heat.

For Soup/Bisque:
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/3 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 large avocado
2 cups organic half and half milk or coconut milk
1/3 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or soup base
2 tablespoons  tapioca flour

For Garnish:

Diced avocado
Lemon wedges
Chopped cilantro
Sliced green onions
Hot sauce 

Tips~This was not my first time preparing a bisque style soup, but it was my first time preparing a warm avocado soup. It was absolutely delicious! It was the smoothest and creamiest soup I have ever eaten. When adding milk, cream or sour cream to hot liquids, make sure it is not boiling or the dairy will curdle. You could also whisk in a couple of tablespoons of flour to the dairy before adding to the hot liquid. This will act as a thickener and also prevent curdling.

Directions:

1. Transfer the cleaned shrimp to a bowl. Add spices listed, Tabasco hot sauce and olive oil. Stir well to coat evenly, cover and set aside.

2. In a sauce pan, add the shrimp shells, 3 cups chicken broth, bay leaves, juice of 1 lemon, Cayenne pepper, 1/3 teaspoon of pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Strain out the solids and reserve the broth.

3. In a soup pot, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and heat to medium. Add the onions, garlic and serrano pepper. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the reserved chicken/shrimp broth and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Taste for salt.

4. In the blender, add the half/half milk or coconut milk, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of flour, chicken bouillon, 1 avocado and half of the second avocado. Blend on high until smooth and whisk into the simmering soup. Reduce the heat to medium/low and continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes.

5. While the soup is cooking and thickening, preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet to medium/high heat. Stir-fry the shrimp for a few minutes or until pink. Cover and remove from heat. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and divide the shrimp on top of soup. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, lemon wedges and hot sauce. 

If you like, add extra avocado on top... Enjoy!

Other recipes by Sonia: