Yesterday was an opportunity to contribute another Rick Bayless adapted recipe to the cooking club to end the week and this time a slightly spicy roasted tomato soup with grilled shrimp. The recipe is relatively easy if you use the fire roasted tomatoes in the can and since I didn’t have any the next option was to roast the 3 pound box of Roma tomatoes in the oven, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and a little pimenton (smoked paprika). Since the soup calls for blending with a stick blender or in batches in a blender, I didn’t pay too much attention to the size of the diced veggies and I can’t get away with adding fiery hot Habanero, a dash of Habanero hot sauce was a more manageable for a heat level. In addition a pinch or two of Chipotle chili powder offered a little more smokiness along with a pinch of ancho chili powder, but be sure to taste test any spicy chili product for the heat level before adding to the pot. I also like my soups with some chunkiness to it so I didn’t totally puree the veggies.
I slightly undercooked the shrimp because it would finish cooking in the hot soup and the added bonus of making this ahead of time with just a quick reheat allows for a stress free casual company lunch or dinner.
Great garnishes for the soup, a little fresh cilantro, if you like cheese grate a little Mexican cheese over each serving and if you have totally pureed your soup consider adding a few fresh diced carrots and green onions.
Serve with a side of warm tortillas, taco chips and guacamole.
Roasted Tomato Soup Shrimp
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
Salt
1 medium celeriac (celery root) small dice, about 2 cups I used celery)
2 to 3 medium carrots, small dice, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 28-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes or fire roast 3 pounds Roma tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth)
1 Habanero chile, stemmed
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
Optional: 1 pound grilled or sautéed shrimp, seasoned with a bit of Tajin, chili powder, and a squirt of lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the onions have begun to brown around the edges. Scoop in the celeriac, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the carrots begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, beef broth, Habanero and potato. Stir until everything is well combined. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft. Using either a countertop blender or immersion blender, puree the soup. If you’re using a countertop blender, you’ll need to do this in batches, taking care not to overfill the blender jar.
Return the pureed soup to the pot, stirring in the parsley, 1 tablespoon salt and honey. I’m using honey here to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes so that all the flavors have a chance to meld, then taste for final seasoning. If you’re using the shrimp, add them to the individual bowls as they’re being served.
Cucina Magia 
You must be logged in to post a comment.