In the surfer town of Playa del Coco, Costa Rica, there is a cute little restaurant called El Chile Dulce. After a day of sun and sand, nothing was more welcome than this gorgeous pale green soup. Sipping a luscious and silky spoonful is like slipping into something a little more comfortable. I call this a sopita—little soup—because it’s so rich you should serve it in small portions.
AVOCADO SOPITA
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 TBSP unsalted butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
½ red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, ribbed, and finely chopped
1 TBSP plus 1½ TSP chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup heavy cream
3 medium Hass avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1 cup milk
2 TBSP olive oil
16 small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh basil leaves, finely chopped, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Read Related: Avocado Inspirations Part 1
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the dill and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cream and pour the mixture into a blender.
- Add the avocados, milk, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the blender and purée. When the purée is completely smooth, transfer it to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled (the soup can be made up to 1 day in advance).
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until curled, pink, and opaque, 2 to 4 minutes. To serve, pour the chilled soup into small glasses, add some of the shrimp, and garnish with basil and sesame seeds.
This recipe first appeared in Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffman (Random House) which is available for purchase click here.
