Salsa (Recipe: mango gazpacho with or without shrimp and avocado)

No post today; instead, a recipe from Soup Chick that would be perfect -- perfect -- for holiday entertaining this weekend. All you really need is salsa and a few ingredients from the pantry.

Mango gazpacho with or without shrimp and avocado

If it's hot where you are this weekend, this quick and easy recipe is sure to cool you down -- in a good way. Salsa is the key ingredient; I buy giant containers of mango salsa at Costco, but you can use your favorite salsa, or make your own from scratch; peach salsa from Newman's Own (at the supermarket) or Trader Joe's would work well, too. If you like your gazpacho sweeter, add a piece of chopped fruit. Omit the shrimp and it's vegetarian/vegan friendly. Serves 2; can be doubled, tripled or more.

Ingredients

2 cups fruit-and-tomato salsa
1/2 cup water
1 slice bread (anything you have on hand; I use whole wheat or country white), torn into pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
Fresh black pepper, to taste
6 large uncooked frozen shrimp in their shells, whatever size you like (do not defrost), optional
1 avocado, peeled and diced

Directions

In a blender (or in a large bowl, with an immersion blender), puree the salsa with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Add the bread and garlic, and blend until smooth. Taste, then add 1 teaspoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar, or more as needed, to balance the sweetness of the salsa. Season with fresh black pepper. Pour soup into a serving bowl.

[To make ahead, chill the soup base in a container in the refrigerator, and add the shrimp and avocado right before serving.]

In a small sauce pan, place the frozen shrimp and 2 inches of water. Set on medium-high heat. When the shrimp turn pick and are just curled (this should take 2 minutes or so, not much more), remove from heat, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the shrimp and add to the soup.

Peel and dice the avocado, and sprinkle over the soup just before serving.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Ropa vieja
Salsa and shrimp stuffed avocado
Chicken, black bean, avocado and cheese quesadillas
Mock guac
Black bean and peach soup

Mango gazpacho with or without shrimp and avocado

If it's hot where you are this weekend, this quick and easy recipe is sure to cool you down -- in a good way. Salsa is the key ingredient; I buy giant containers of mango salsa at Costco, but you can use your favorite salsa, or make your own from scratch; peach salsa from Newman's Own (at the supermarket) or Trader Joe's would work well, too. If you like your gazpacho sweeter, add a piece of chopped fruit. Omit the shrimp and it's vegetarian/vegan friendly. Serves 2; can be doubled, tripled or more.

Ingredients

2 cups fruit-and-tomato salsa
1/2 cup water
1 slice bread (anything you have on hand; I use whole wheat or country white), torn into pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
Fresh black pepper, to taste
6 large uncooked frozen shrimp in their shells, whatever size you like (do not defrost), optional
1 avocado, peeled and diced

Directions

In a blender (or in a large bowl, with an immersion blender), puree the salsa with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Add the bread and garlic, and blend until smooth. Taste, then add 1 teaspoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar, or more as needed, to balance the sweetness of the salsa. Season with fresh black pepper. Pour soup into a serving bowl.

[To make ahead, chill the soup base in a container in the refrigerator, and add the shrimp and avocado right before serving.]

In a small sauce pan, place the frozen shrimp and 2 inches of water. Set on medium-high heat. When the shrimp turn pick and are just curled (this should take 2 minutes or so, not much more), remove from heat, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the shrimp and add to the soup.

Peel and dice the avocado, and sprinkle over the soup just before serving.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Ropa vieja
Salsa and shrimp stuffed avocado
Chicken, black bean, avocado and cheese quesadillas
Mock guac
Black bean and peach soup

Comments

This sounds good--but, like you, that salsa at Costco can't be beat. I always have one on hand. One day that and some veggies was my only purchase. Check out laughed at my $30 something tab.

YUM! That looks delish! You've got to leave in the shrimp and avocado, you've just got to! It made my mouth water just looking at it. Such a pretty picture!!!

This sounds good, but I must have shrimp and avocado in mine. (Not sure I have ever tasted this type of salsa at Costco; need to watch for it being demo-ed.)

Lydia, I'll take mine with the shrimp...who needs shrimp cocktail when you have this!

Why one would want a dish like this without shrimp and avocado is a mystery to me. Those two things are a match made in food heaven.

sounds positively delicious and so refreshing - I'm only sorry I didn't read this before we left the house this morning -it's supposed to hit 90 in Raleigh today so it would have been wonderful but I have full faith in the many, many 90 degree days we will have this summer to enjoy this. Must check out Costco and Trader Joe's salsa - thanks for the info.

Why bother without the shrimp and avocado? Even if it's for nothing other than the color, it seems like a must to me!

Late to the party... but I have to say that this looks so delicious - like a bowl of shrimp cocktail!!

You sent me on a hunt for the peach salsa I made for your black bean/salsa soup. I ended up at a papaya salsa from FatFree Vegan Kitchen -- would work with peaches too, very easy and delicious. Don't know if it would adapt to gazpacho though.

Pat, that Costco salsa is completely addictive. You won't believe how delicious it is as a soup.

Renee, Kalyn, Peter, Rookie Cookie, Toni, Carol: Avocado and shrimp for everyone!!!

Monelle, sadly we will have many super-hot days here in Rhode Island, too.

Susan, I think any fruit-and-tomato salsa would be delicious in this soup. Give the papaya a try and let us know, please.

Gazpacho is one of my favorite soups. I never thought of putting mango in it. Does it become sweet? I will have to try it out.

I've never really liked gazpacho, but this is the second time in a short time that I've seen a recipe for mango gazpacho. It definitely has me intrigued!