Name: Cajun Shrimp Soup with Smoked Salmon
Yield: Makes 6 First-Course Servings
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: salt and pepper; 1 medium-size onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 4 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried; 3 Jalapeño chilies; cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce; ¼ pound smoked salmon or other smoked fish, thinly sliced and cut into ⅛- by 1-inch strips; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat or olive oil; 18 large shrimp, preferably with heads, about 1 pound without heads, 1-½ pounds with; 3 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1-½ cups canned, drained and seeded; 3 cups chicken or fish broth or water

Preparation info

Makes
6
First-Course Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

About

This soup is inspired by a shrimp dish I had at a dinner prepared in Manhattan by Paul Prudhomme. The shrimp was served in a spicy rich cream sauce with an underlying smokiness that came from tasso, a special kind of New Orleans ham. It occurred to me that smoked fish would be interesting to couple with shellfish, so after a series of experiments, here it is.