Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

If you haven't figured it out yet, I love the spices of the Caribbean. I cook with a lot of Caribbean seasonings and add cilantro to just about everything but I promise that the next recipe I post will be something different than "Caribbean". :-)

This recipe serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 green onions or scallions – thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 teaspoons Caribbean (or Jamaican) Jerk Seasoning – can always increase after tasting
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ½ lemon – sliced
• 6 to 8 ounces uncooked small shrimp – peeled and deveined (be sure to remove tails)
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) – can always increase after tasting
• 2 cups cooked basmati rice

         Or

• ½ cup uncooked small soup pasta

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes.

3. Whisk together the coconut milk, chicken stock and Jerk Seasoning until smooth.

4. Pour into pot.

5. Add lemon slices and bring to a boil.

If using rice, skip to step 7

6. Add soup pasta.

7. Simmer half covered for 10 – 12 minutes (or if using pasta, until it is tender) stirring occasionally.

8. Add red pepper flakes.

9. Remove the lemon slices.

10. Add the shrimp.

11. Simmer 2 – 3 minutes until shrimp turns pink (watch carefully so that shrimp is not overcooked).

12. Remove from heat.

13. Stir in cilantro.

If you added the pasta, skip to step 15

14. Place ½ cup rice in each bowl and ladle soup over rice.

15. Ladle soup in bowl.

  

Notes:

• You can use whatever cooking oil you want if you do not have or do not want to use peanut oil. I just like the taste of the peanut oil with the coconut.
• If you do not care for or cannot find Basmati rice, use whatever rice you prefer.
• Take it easy with the spices – only add more after the soup has simmered a bit (step 7). The longer it simmers, the spicier it becomes.
• If you are a vegetarian, simply eliminate the shrimp; substituting your favorite vegetables.
• I usually serve this with thin slices of toasted bread. Of course, you can serve whatever your family favorite is but I would suggest staying away from heavy and/or thickly sliced breads since this soup is on the lighter side.
• If you do not have Caribbean or Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, it contains allspice, red pepper flakes, thyme, onion, and turmeric but I don’t really know the proportions.
• I cut this recipe down because it DOES NOT freeze well. Only cook what you will eat in 1 to 2 meals. If you reheat, DO NOT bring to a boil – heat as little as possible to warm thoroughly or you will toughen the shrimp.
• If you have a larger family, simply double or triple the measurements. My original recipe was triple to allow for at least two servings for each son plus whichever of their friends “just happened to stop by” at dinnertime. LOL

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you try the recipe, I would love any feedback you would care to give.



Hope you enjoy!