So Fresh Gazpacho with Avocado and Shrimp
Serves 4
This soup is not spicy, but light and clean on the palate. Adding fresh corn, and cutting the vegetables into small dice gives great texture to this salsa style soup. The avocado and seasoned shrimp add another dimension of flavor.
Soup:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup peeled, seeded cucumber, cut into small dice
¼ cup finely diced mixed green and red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped red or spring onion
½ jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped black or red tomatoes
1 ½ cups tomato juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, to taste
1 lime wedge
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a small skillet over medium high heat. Add corn and sauté until tender. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Set corn aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add the cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro together in a large bowl. Add the corn. Mix well.
Squeeze the lime wedge into the soup mixture, and add the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. At this point, taste and adjust with seasonings if needed. If you need to add more cumin, chili powder, or salt then by all means adjust the recipe to your taste. Chill for at least 2 hours so that flavors can blend. Garnish with shrimp, avocado and cilantro.
Shrimp Garnish:
4-8 medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large, ripe avocado
Cilantro
Shrimp: Just before serving the soup, make a small mixture of 1 tablespoon chili powder and 1 tablespoon cumin with a dash of salt. Dip the shrimp into the mixture and fry in 1 tablespoon olive oil until pink and cooked through.
When ready to serve: Divide the soup into 4 (1-cup) servings. Peel the avocado and cut into small chunks. Divide avocado into 4 portions and add to top of the soup. Add one or two cooked shrimp to the top of each avocado, top with a sprig of cilantro. Serve chilled.
(I created this recipe for the PBS Television show website, Garden Smart, in 2011)