Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise and Ginger Shrimp

By SFCook

Ingredients

• 24 large shrimp in shell (about 1 lb), peeled, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact, and deveined
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2/3 cup chopped shallot
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (5 cups)
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 40mins
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Toss shrimp with ginger in a bowl and marinate, chilled, 30 minutes (do not marinate any longer or enzymes from ginger will begin to cook shrimp).

Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock, and water and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove star anise.

Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch, then transfer to cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.

Sprinkle marinated shrimp with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp in 2 batches, stirring, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch, transferring to paper towels.

Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 8 shallow soup bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl.