Roasted Peanut Soup with Honey-Cayenne Shrimp

By corlear

Chef's Note: We're eternally grateful to former Sous Chef James Koonce, a Lonisiana boy and a gifted cook, for sharing this amazing soup with us.

Ingredients

• 5 Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 large onion
• 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 rib celery, coarsely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/4 quarts chicken stock or water
• 3 tablespoons Louisiana hot pepper sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup tomato juice
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Creole Seafood Seasoning (see recipe)
• 16 (16/20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Pinch cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup honey

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, toss tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and peanuts in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil; spread on a baking sheet and roast 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Place vegetables in a large stockpot; add stock, hot sauce, Worcestershire and tomato juice. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Whisk in peanut butter.

In batches, purée mixture in a blender or food processor. Strain soup into a clean stockpot, bring to a simmer, and season with salt, pepper and Creole Seafood Seasoning.

Season shrimp with Creole Seafood Seasoning and a pinch of cayenne. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; sauté shrimp until pink. Add honey and cook until syrupy.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish each serving with 2 honeyed shrimp. After arranging shrimp in bowl, drizzle remaining syrup from skillet over soup.