Greens & Avocado Soup With Grilled Shrimp

I hope and trust everyone to have enjoyed their Thanksgiving holidays and little time off here in the States. We sure have. Bill and the pups came to Birmingham for Thanksgiving and the older pup, Tippy is staying with me while Bill and Bailey (The Inseparables) have gone back to Charleston.

While we were busy bees around the house, hanging paintings, fixing odds and ends around the place and getting the last bit of furniture we needed, we also enjoyed being together and doing things for the two of us, as a team. We had not spent any quality time together for a long long time (September or so) and these four days felt like the ultimate luxury.

 

We do have a blast together. One would hope so after fifteen years together, right?! We are quick to recognize our "adjusting" period and give the other some breathing room. After operating apart for most of the summer and Fall, it is imperative that we do not waste any seconds of those precious moments. And I enjoy pampering him with good home cooked meal whenever I can and these past four days were no exceptions. 

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with friends eating turkey, yes, drinking Champagne cocktails and making S'Mores huddled around an outdoor fireplace. We also hosted our first dinner in the house we are renting this year. I am pretty happy with how the decor/furniture situation is shaping up. Nothing like having a blank canvas to take your time to find the appropriate pieces.

 

It was in that cozy spot that I came up with this new soup. A complete "open the fridge and throw a few things together" kind of moment when I find myself with way more vegetables than days available to eat them. A mix of Swiss chard, kale, zucchini, turnips and avocado. I topped each bowl of soup with a few grilled shrimp, well seasoned with smoked paprika to make it a bit heartier since the days got wintry cold almost over night here.

I am liking the feeling of a comfy sweater, warm high socks and a big bowl of soup by the fire these days.

 

One more thing before I go: Congratulations to Jacqui of Good Things Grow for winning Julie Le Clerc's cookbook Made By Hand. Please send your mailing address to mytartelette AT gmail DOT com so I can send the book your way!

Swiss Chard And Kale Creamy Soup with Paprika Grilled Shrimp:

Makes enough for 8 people

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed and stems removed
1 large bunch kale, washed and stems removed
4 zucchinis, cut into large chunks (2-inch cubes)
3 turnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
6 garlic cloves, peeled
6 cups of water
2 small avocados
juice of one lime
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

In a large stock pot, add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and heat over medium high. Add the Swiss chard and kale, ripping them into smaller leaves with your fingers as you add them to the pot. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the zucchinis and turnips and sautee another couple minutes more. Add the garlic and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover loosely and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Right before you run the soup through the food processor, cut the avocados in halves, removed the pits and scoop out the flesh right into the greens mixture of the soup. Drizzle with the lime juice. Puree until smooth in a food processor. Adjust the texture of the soup by adding a bit more water if necessary. Keep warm.
Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large sautee pan. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with the paprika. Add them in a single layer into the hot pan (might need to do this in two different batches - do not overcrowd the pan). Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Laddle the soup into bowls and top each with 3 to 4 shrimp.