Chilled Shrimp and Cucumber Soup

By Howie

Ingredients

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tb granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb raw shrimp (smallest you can find), peeled and deveined
• 2 tb sweet butter
• 1/4 cup dry white vermouth
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk, chilled
• 3/4 cup fresh dill (plus additional dill for garnish), chopped

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1) Toss chopped cucumbers with the vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp salt and let stand for 30 minutes.

2) Rinse the shrimp and pat them dry. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add shrimp, raise the heat, and toss until they turn pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve.

3)Add vermouth to the skillet and boil until it is reduced to a few spoonfuls. Pour over the shrimp and season them with the salt and pepper.

4) Drain the cucumbers and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process briefly, then add the buttermilk and continue to process until smooth. Add fresh dill to taste and process briefly, about 1 second.

5) Pour the soup into a bowl, add the shrimp and their liquid, and refrigerate, covered, until very cold. Garnish with additional chopped dill and serve in chilled bowls.