Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup With Prawn and Scallop Salsa

Category: Soups & Salads | Blog URL: http://sense-serendipity.blogspot.com/2009/08/chilled-avocado-and-cucumber-soup.html

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Divina

Ingredients

1 shallot, minced

1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

zest of 2 limes

1/4 cup grape seed, rice bran or extra light

1 teaspoon water

3 avocados, diced

1 large cucumber, peeled and ciced

4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons unpasteurized shiro miso

1 lime, to taste

water, to dilute

8 prawns (about 1/2 lb), peeled

12 smalls scallops or 4 large scallops, cleaned

8 black olives, sliced

1 Mandarin or Satsuma orange, peeled and segmented

1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped

unrefined sea salt, taste

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons extra light olive oil or rice bran oil (for cooking prawns <

Preparation

In a small sauce pot, combine the minced shallots, red chili pepper flakes and oil.

Heat the oil over very low heat and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir in the lime zest and the water.

Let stand for at least an hour, then strain the oil into a small bowl or jar.

Adding water in the oil with the lime zest dissolves and carries water-soluble flavors.

Set aside, while you prepare the soup.

Place the cucumber, avocado and green onion in a blender.

Squeeze the lime juice and add 2 tablespoon of the miso paste.

Blend the ingredients adding the water to dilute the mixture until smooth and creamy.

Season the soup (to taste) with more miso paste and lime juice if necessary.

Transfer the soup into a large bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

To cook the prawns and scallops, heat a skillet over medium-high heat.

Then, season the prawns and scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Once the pan is nice and hot, add one tablespoon of the oil.

Add the prawns and scallops and cooked until they are done.

Remove and transfer to a bowl. Then, add the orange pieces, black olives and cilantro.

Cut the prawns into 3 or 4 pieces depending on the size and add these to the bowl.

Season with a little bit of sea salt and black pepper (if necessary) and drizzle with chili-lime oil.

Toss gently with a spoon to combine.

To serve the dish, bring out the four individual bowls and the avocado soup from the fridge.

Ladle the soup onto the bowls, then garnish with the prawn and scallop salsa and finish with more drizzle of the chili-lime oil.

Tools

Comments

Permalink Helen Pitlick
January 20, 2010

This looks like a delightful summer soup!

Permalink Divina
January 22, 2010

Thank you..

Permalink Anthony Pe
January 22, 2010

The avocado used in this recipe came from our avocado tree at the back of our house. This tree was planted by our brother John. The soup taste great and has a nice creamy texture. Try it.

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About

This is one of the recipes I've created when we have avocados growing in our backyard last August. Everyone in the family loves to eat it with milk and sugar but I want something different. This soup is really refreshing and hydrating. The seafood garnish adds body and umami-richness to the whole dish.