Even though we’re having beautiful Spring temperatures today and I’m getting ready to uncover the grill for the first time this season, it was just this past Tuesday that Denver saw a frigid storm blow through and leave an icy beginning to a six inch blanket of snow that covered everything in sight. Folks…it was cold. On April 23rd I was wearing my full length black wool coat with a heavy scarf around my neck and we found ourselves slurping this wonderful and warming Mexican shrimp soup.
Cinco de Mayo food seems to be a year round event in our house, I still found myself pouring through cookbooks last weekend to find something new to celebrate the upcoming holiday. I’ve had a sticky note on this recipe for a while, and with the snow storm in our forecast, I decided it was time to give it a try.
This soup is light, brothy and incredible with flavor. To make it easy, I bought a bag of frozen cooked and peeled shrimp. After thawing I just pulled the tails off and fine chopped the shrimp. Adding an egg, flour and some great spices these little shrimp meatballs were ready to be dropped into a flavorful simmering broth. What makes them so wonderful with flavor is tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, Mexican oregano and coriander.
The soup base is a well sauteed onion, garlic, tomatoes, chiles and bay leaves. I used poblano peppers, but any variety would be good. The recipe called for fish stock, but I used chicken. This recipe is definitely a keeper and I hope you’ll give it a try.
- For the meatballs:
- 1/2 pound cooked shrimp shelled and fine chopped
- 2 Tablespoons minced onion
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons heaping all-purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk
- pinch of salt
- For the soup:
- 3 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion thin sliced
- 2 chile peppers poblano or Hatch, trimmed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 2 leaves bay
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 T fresh cilantro for topping
- Put the chopped shrimp in a bowl with the onion, tomato paste, spices, herbs, flour, egg yolk and salt. Mix well until thoroughly blended, then cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Make the soup; heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the sliced onion for 5 minutes. Add the chopped chile peppers and remain cooking until onions and chile are soft, about 5 more minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes
- Add the fish or chicken stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and then bring to a boil. Simmer the soup gently for 30 minutes over low heat.
- Divide the shrimp mixture into 12 portions and shape into small balls. Drop them carefully into the soup. Poach very gently over heat for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro.
In the mood for more shrimp soup recipes, how about this French version:
Shrimp and Cod Bourride
Mexican Shrimp Soup…It’s What’s for Dinner.
Happy Valley Chow says
April 27, 2013 at 1:55 pmWow that looks like a terrific soup! Great job 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 7:02 amThanks HVC
Pam says
April 27, 2013 at 8:33 pmWe can’t decide if it’s spring or winter here either! This sounds perfect!
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 7:02 amSo it’s not just us?! We’re having another beautiful day here…hope it lasts.
Karen Harris says
April 28, 2013 at 6:36 amI’m tired of washing my car! I’m just hoping for summer, but if winter does show it’s head again this would be a great way of chasing away the cold.
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 7:01 amI have a new car Karen, so you can imagine how many times I’ve been to the car wash.
Pam says
April 28, 2013 at 7:10 amCrazy weather here too! Your soup sounds great and I want to try it. Mexican Oregano is new to me, I’m curious and will look for it! Thanks for the recipe!
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:40 pmMexican Oregano seems to be milder and a little sweeter. I hope you can find it Pam. If not, I’ll send you some.
Chilebrown says
April 28, 2013 at 9:14 amI just like to say Albondigas de Camerones. It has a nice ring to it.
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:39 pmThanks ChileB
Vickie says
April 28, 2013 at 9:28 amThat is a beautiful soup – and your description of the flavors tells me I would love it. The color is gorgeous.
Our weather has been all over the map in April, too, but we saw our first hummingbird today and put up the first feeder! Here’s to a warm beautiful May for all!
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:39 pmI’ve not seen a hummingbird yet. I’m sure they’re around here too. Had our first House Wren today. C’mon May. 🙂
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
April 28, 2013 at 10:26 amLooks fabulous Lea Ann. I’ve made a similar soup with chicken, but you know how much I love shrimp, so this sounds even better. Happy Cinco de Mayo day.
Sam
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:38 pmThanks Sam. Those little shrimp meatballs caught my attention enough to give it a try. So glad, as it was delicious.
Jane says
April 28, 2013 at 11:26 amShrimp meatballs sound so unique, and I love that flavor combination! I find it hard to believe it is almost May already with the weather we have been having!
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:37 pmJane, aren’t we enjoying a beautiful weekend???????? I grilled yesterday and will do so again today. This soup is really good. If you try it I hope you let me know what you think.
Karen says
April 28, 2013 at 12:01 pmAll the flavors that I love… I bet this was really yummy. So glad to see winter gone, finally!
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:36 pmI’m grilling today Karen … and yesterday. 🙂
Susan says
April 28, 2013 at 3:25 pmThis sounds fantastic! I’ve never had anything quite like this before and I love trying new things.
Lea Ann says
April 28, 2013 at 3:32 pmI was pleasantly surprised at all the flavor this recipe brought. I hope you give it a try and please let me know what you think.
Holly says
April 28, 2013 at 6:09 pmI’ve never seen a shrimp meatball and think this would be a delightful soup. Pair it with margaritas and let’s celebrate cinco de mayo! I can’t believe it is nearly May already!
Rhonda says
April 30, 2013 at 10:32 pmIt’s Mexican flavor food time around here a lot also. Actually I had a taco for lunch and burritos for dinner today. I am so loving this, food in ball shapes is always fun to eat!
Lea Ann says
May 1, 2013 at 6:11 amI’m a meatball fan myself Rhonda. I’m sure that’s what drew me to this dish.
Chris says
May 7, 2013 at 7:50 pmI have done shrimp burgers before but not shrimp meat balls, how cool!
Lea Ann says
May 11, 2013 at 5:57 amWe loved them. Some good flavors.
Kathryn @ anotherfoodieblogger says
October 27, 2016 at 4:22 pmHi Lea Ann, I am going to make this soup soon but it doesn’t say how much chicken or fish stock to use. It sounds fantastic, can’t wait to try it!
EJ Gibson says
May 6, 2018 at 3:40 pmWhat happened with the chilies…they were not mentioned in your instructions.
I really want to try this.