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bowl of tomato soup topped with shrimp

Roasted Tomato Soup with Pepper Jelly Shrimp

Dawn Dobie
Garnet-colored soup filled with flavor
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 quarts

Ingredients
  

For the soup:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium celery root or celeriac diced small to total about 2 cups
  • 4 medium carrots diced small, to total about 1 1/3 cup
  • 1 jalapeño pepper diced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 28- ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 serrano chile split in half, seeds and ribs removed
  • 1 medium potato peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Optional:
  • 2-3 tablespoons of honey
  • Additional minced parsley for garnish

For the shrimp:

  • 1 pound of raw shrimp
  • 5 tablespoons pepper jelly
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions
 

For the soup:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large soup pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, until the onions have begun to become golden around the edges. Add the celery root and carrots and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, stirring now and then.
  • Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook for one more minute.
  • Stir the tomato paste into the sautéed onion mixture. Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, to help remove the raw tomato taste.
  • Add the broth, stirring to combine it with the tomato paste-onion mixture, then add the cans of fire-roasted tomatoes along with their juices and the chopped potato. Stir to combine. Drop in the serrano chile.
  • Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 45 minutes. All of the vegetables in the soup should be soft. If they’re not, cook it a little longer. Fish out the serrano chile.
  • Using a ladle, transfer the soup in batches to a blender. Process until the soup is puréed, transfer to a large bowl, and then do the next batch, always being careful as you handle the hot liquid. (Or use an immersion blender to purée the soup mixture right in the pot.)
  • If using the blender, return the soup to the cooking pan and stir in the parsley. Taste for salt and pepper, adding what is needed.

For the shrimp:

  • Stir the pepper jelly and minced garlic together in medium bowl. Add the shrimp, stirring to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes per side, until pink. Remove to a plate or bowl.  After ladling soup into individual bowls, top with shrimp and a sprinkle of parsley.

Notes

Rick Bayless suggests adding 2-3 tablespoons of honey to the soup after it is blended to counterbalance the tomatoes’ acidity; we liked the soup as it was and opted not to add honey.
If you want a less complicated approach to the shrimp, you can simply season the raw shrimp with one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chacere's) and refrigerate covered for 30 minutes. Cook in the olive oil as directed above, right before serving the soup. This approach is delicious, too.
The soup can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. Cool, cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well.