Butternut Squash Soup With Star Anise and Ginger Shrimp

kyle martin's Note:

Surprisingly light and incredibly delicious.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 bowls

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

Directions:

1. Toss shrimp with ginger in a bowl and marinate, chilled, 30 minutes.
2. Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add squash, stock, and water and simmer uncovered until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove star anise.
5. Puree soup in 2 batches in a blender until smooth, about1 minute per batch, then transfer to cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.
6. Sprinkle shrimp with salt.
7. Heat oil in a large 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.
8. Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.
9. Divide among 8 bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl.
10. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Reviews

[lauralie41]

My DD enjoyed this soup and shrimp. I cut this recipe in half, used thawed frozen shrimp, and vegetable broth. The soup was very creamy and pretty when pureed. I laid the shrimp on top of the soup and than sprinkled with the cilantro.

[#Bill across the pond]

sorry, but this dish seemed to lack a certain "originality"