Prawn Soup

Name: Prawn Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Shrimps 2.2 lbs; Peeled tomatoes 1.8 lbs; Fresh ginger 2 tsp; Garlic 1 clove; Parsley to taste; Marjoram to taste; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Black pepper to taste; Shallot 1 oz; Carrots 3 oz; Celery 2.5 oz; Parsley (the stems) to taste; Fresh chili pepper 1; Water 4 ¼ cups; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Homemade bread (4 slices) 11.3 oz

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Shrimp soup gets its depth from the shells. This zuppa di gamberi builds its broth by slow-cooking the carapaci with vegetables and aromatics into a fumetto — a concentrated shellfish stock that carries the full flavor of the crustaceans before a single shrimp hits the pot. Peeled tomatoes and fresh ginger round out the base, giving it a brightness that keeps the bowl from feeling heavy. It is the kind of dish that looks and tastes far more involved than it actually is: simple to pull together, but with a layered, satisfying result that holds its own at a proper fish dinner or as an unexpected centerpiece on any weeknight table.

The fumetto does the real work, which means the shrimp themselves need almost nothing — they go in at the very end, just long enough to turn tender and juicy rather than rubbery. Rushing that final step is the one thing worth avoiding. Everything else follows naturally from a well-built broth. Toasted pane casereccio comes alongside for scarpetta, dragged through whatever pools at the bottom of the bowl — arguably the best part of the whole meal.

INGREDIENTS

for the soup: Shrimps 2.2 lbs (1 kg); Peeled tomatoes 1.8 lbs (800 g); Fresh ginger 2 tsp (10 g); Garlic 1 clove; Parsley to taste; Marjoram to taste; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Black pepper to taste

for the prawn stock: Shallot 1 oz (30 g); Carrots 3 oz (80 g); Celery 2.5 oz (70 g); Parsley to taste - (the stems); Fresh chili pepper 1; Water 4 ¼ cups (1 l); Extra virgin olive oil to taste

for serving: Homemade bread 11.3 oz (320 g) - (4 slices)

Preparation

How to prepare Prawn Soup

To prepare the prawn soup start with How to clean shrimp. Remove the head 1, the shell 2 and set them aside — they will be used to make the stock. With a small knife, cut along the back of the prawns to easily remove the intestinal vein.

Trim the vegetables. Then chop the celery 4, the shallot 5 and the ginger 6.

Also chop the chili pepper 7 and the carrot 8. In a saucepan heat a drizzle of olive oil and add the shallot 9.

Add the vegetables and the parsley stems 10. Let everything soften for about 5 minutes. Add the prawn shells 11 and toast them for 2–3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the cold water 12.

Bring to a simmer and let cook gently for about 30 minutes 13. Then strain the stock and collect it in a bowl. In another saucepan heat a drizzle of olive oil with a clove of garlic 14.

Add the grated fresh ginger 16. Let it release its aroma for a moment, then add the peeled tomatoes, crushing them with your hands 17. Season with salt 18 and pepper.

Pour in the previously prepared stock 19; you will need about 2 cups (about 500 g) in total. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After this time slice the bread and arrange it on a baking sheet. Toast it in a convection oven preheated to 392°F for about 5 minutes.

Remove the garlic from the sauce 22 and add the shelled prawns 23. Continue cooking for 4–5 minutes, until they are just pink and tender. Turn off the heat and finish with a few marjoram leaves 34.

Also add the chopped parsley 25 and mix everything well 26. When the bread is nicely toasted, take it out of the oven 27.

Ladle the soup into bowls 28, add some more chopped parsley 29 and serve with the toasted bread 30.

Storage

Prawn soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day. When ready to serve, reheat gently over low heat, avoiding prolonged cooking so the prawns don't become rubbery. Freezing after cooking is not recommended.

Tip

For an even more aromatic soup you can prepare it a few hours in advance and add the prawns only at serving time. In this way the sauce will have time to develop all its aromas and the shellfish will remain soft and juicy.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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