Shrimp Tortilla Soup

 Shrimp Tortilla Soup

 

 Yes, I do love Mexican food, thanks for noticing! This is a delicious spin on conventional tortilla soup and it's very easy to prepare. The flavor is deep and exotic, compliments of the cumin and smoked paprika, but also bright and zesty from the lime juice, peppers and cilantro.

 

What You'll Need: 

White Onion, chopped

5 Green Onions, sliced

6 cloves of Garlic, minced

Canola Oil

1 can of Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 can of Rotel Tomatoes/Peppers

32 ounce carton of Chicken Broth

1 teaspoon Sugar

3 Limes

2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 cup Cilantro, chopped (more if you like and save a little for garnish)

1 pound of Shrimp (peeled and deveined) If they're very large, cut them in half

Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

Tortilla Chips 

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cayenne or Cholula hot sauce if you like it hot

What You'll Do:

In a large Le Creuset Dutch Oven or other heavy pot,  heat up 3-4 Tablespoons of canola oil over medium (for cast iron) or medium/high. 

Add white and green onions and saute until the onions soften and start to get a little brown around the edges. Add the garlic and saute for 2 or 3 more minutes until it starts to get golden and fragrant. 

 

Add about a cup of the chicken broth and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden or silicon spoon (don't scratch your precious cookware with metal). The browned bits add more flavor. 

 

Pour in the rest of the chicken broth, the can of tomatoes and Rotel (juice and all on those), sugar, paprika, cumin, cilantro,  and the juice of 2 limes. (roll the limes firmly across the kitchen counter before slicing to get them to release more juice).

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to let the flavors develop. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste and if you want to get super spicy, increase your heat with some cayenne and/or hot sauce such as Cholula. When you've got the seasonings to your liking, add the shrimp and cook for another 5 minutes, but be careful not to overcook the shrimp.

To serve, top with a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, a sprinkle of cilantro and crushed tortilla chips. The fresh squeeze of lime really adds a brightness to the dish, so don't omit that.

"A life without Mexican food is like no life at all." - Unknown