Happy long weekend, North American folk! What is everyone up to? Most people I’ve talked to are getting out of the city for a few days. I’m taking a little trip to Sacramento, about 2 hours northeast of San Francisco. Soooo not prepared for the imminent heat…

Speaking on heat, this soup! It’s September now, so I figure soup recipes are fair game. Harissa is a fiery chili blend, often made as a paste, but also available as a powder, used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. Here, we add it to the roasted cauliflower, cooked tomatoes, and fried shrimp elements of the dish for a hearty bowl that’s sure to warm you up on the autumn evenings ahead.

Cheers and happy stay-or-go vacations, everyone!

Harissa Cauliflower and Tomato Bisque with Pan-fried Shrimp

 

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Author: noctekana@gmail.com

Serves: serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 3 Tbsp harissa powder, divided
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup chopped red onion
• ⅓ cup chopped red pepper
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup hulled hemp seeds
• 2 cups milk
• 1 serrano pepper
• ½ pound frozen shrimp (20 medium shrimp)
• juice & zest of lime, to finish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Separate the cauliflower into florets and place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp harissa powder. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
3. Place shrimp in a large bowl and fill with cool water. Add a few good pinches of salt. Let the shrimp thaw while you prepare the tomato mixture.
4. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 2 minutes, and add red onion and pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes, hemp seeds, 1 Tbsp harissa, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 10 minutes, until tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat.
5. Drain and rinse the shrimp well, then peel and dry thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, butterfly the shrimp by cutting a slit (about half the depth of the shrimp) along the back of the shrimp. Remove the vein if necessary. Toss with 2 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp harissa powder. Let sit.
6. When the cauliflower is done (turning golden brown with some dark bits), add to blender with tomato mixture, milk, serrano pepper, and 1½ tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Pour into the saucepan and simmer, covered, while you fry the shrimp.
7. Heat a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the shrimp and spread them out in a single layer. Fry for 1 minute, not moving them, to get some nice charring. Fry for another minute, turning them, until cooked through.
8. Pour soup into bowls and top with shrimp. Add lime zest and a good squeeze of lime juice.

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