Pretty little glasses, shrimp piled high in the center and doused in cocktail sauce - isn't that how shrimp cocktails are supposed to be? Why yes, yes it is, but now, you can have your cocktail and slurp it, too!
Fresh cilantro, red bell pepper, onion and V-8 Juice - that's the base of this soup. And you control the spiciness, if you want a little more kick, use the Spicy V-8 Juice, and if you prefer just a little bit of zip, use the Original V-8 Juice. That's about as complicated as this recipe gets. Oh , there is horseradish and I'm a fan of the stuff so I put in quite a bit, but if you're not quite as daring, just add a teaspoon or so. After everything is cooked through on the stove top, the shrimp are tossed in for the last 5 minutes, and then it's ready to serve, just add a celery stalk and a lime wedge, and sit back and wait for the raves to come your way! It's really good...different...and if you can't wrap your head around shrimp cocktail soup, then think of this as a tomato soup with shrimp...there, that's do-able, right? Either way, dang good!
Shrimp Cocktail Soup - Pots and Pins
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and tightly packed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
12 cups V-8 Juice, Spicy or Original or a mixture of both
3 tablespoons hot cream horseradish (less if you're or more depending on your tastes)
60 to 70 medium cooked shrimp, tails removed, deveined and rinsed. Can use frozen, already cooked shrimp, just be sure to thaw completely.
8 celery sticks, for serving
8 lime wedges, for serving
In a large stock pot, melt butter. Stir in onion, cilantro and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in V-8 Juice and horseradish and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in shrimp, stir, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with a celery stick and a lime wedge. Serves 8.
