Shrimp is a versatile ingredient in soups from around the world, including New England clam chowder and Mexican sopa de camarones. Shrimp broth is typically made by sautéing or simmering the heads and shells of the shrimp. Shrimp should be added to the soup as the last step in the process to avoid overcooking.
Shrimp is a very versatile food that can be easily incorporated into most soup recipes as a featured ingredient. Substituting shrimp for clams in New England clam chowder, for example, makes for excellent crayfish chowder. There are many soups in nearly every global cuisine, however, that were developed for shrimp.
Another popular crayfish chowder in the United States is cream of crayfish. This is created by sautéing shrimp, chopped onions, and butter and adding them to a thin béchamel sauce or béchamel sauce flavored with shrimp or chicken stock. Shrimp gumbo is a thick Cajun soup, with shrimp, sometimes accompanied by other meats such as chicken or Andouille sausage, along with a variety of vegetables in a broth flavored primarily by the shrimp. Most American crayfish chowder offerings are relatively mild compared to some of the very spicy offerings from other lands.
A popular Mexican crayfish soup is sopa de camarones, made with crayfish, potatoes, and pieces of corn on the cob in a shrimp-milk based broth. Chupe de camarones is a spicy Peruvian crayfish soup that combines crayfish with potatoes, beans, tomatoes, corn, and onions in a complex crayfish-and-chili broth that includes evaporated milk and egg. Brazilian shrimp soups use coconut milk as a thickener, which also adds an interesting flavor variation. These tomato-based soups also include peppers and moderate amounts of rice.
There are countless European crayfish soups. Crayfish chowder, a soup typically served with whole or diced shrimp in a puree of shrimp, tomatoes, onions, carrots, and many other ingredients, is served around the world but traces its origins to French cuisine. An Italian soup combines small cocktail-style shrimp with sweaty greens, diced tomatoes, and cannelloni beans in chicken broth. Crema de Gambas con Mejillones is a creamy Spanish soup. Similar to an American soup in that it is based on milk and cream, it contains mussels and shrimp.
Asian and Pacific cuisines rely heavily on shrimp for salads, soups and appetizers. Ramen, the very popular Japanese noodle soup, is transformed into a very satisfying shrimp soup by simply adding some peeled and unpeeled shrimp. Sinigang na hipon, or Pinoy-like sour prawn soup, is served in a clear broth with fresh radish, green beans and diced tomatoes, and owes its unique tart flavor to tamarind. Shrimp won soup is Chinese and features whole or chopped shrimp in tonic wrappers served in a chicken broth with shallots and other seasonings. Tom Yum Goong, Thailand’s spicy prawn soup, relies on a number of exotic ingredients for its flavor, including lime leaves, coriander, and lemongrass.
Some crayfish soups are prepared in a crayfish broth. Many meat and vegetable stocks are made by simply boiling or boiling the ingredient until the liquid takes on the desired flavor. Shrimp broth cannot be prepared this way, however, as the meat will become very tough if cooked long enough and hot enough to produce a well-flavored broth. Thus, shrimp stock for soup or gravy is typically made by sautéing or simmering the heads and shells of the shrimp and then straining out the solids. Beer is the preferred base for making shrimp.
Many other shrimp soups, however, don’t rely on shrimp to flavor the broth. Instead, shrimp is added to the soup as the last step in the process. Shrimp cooks very quickly and hardens if overcooked; therefore, regardless of the broth, the shrimp themselves shouldn’t be added to the soup just moments before serving. Some restaurants serve crayfish chowder with the whole shell, or the tail portion of the shell, still on the shrimp. These labor-saving shortcuts add little to the flavor of the soup and significantly diminish the dining experience, forcing diners to peel hot, wet prawns or discard a portion.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
