Cannellini Bean Soup with Shrimp
Passato di Faglioli Cannellini con Gamberetti
(Serves 4)
8 medium shrimp
2 carrots
4 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 cups cannelloni beans, soaked overnight (in a pinch, just substitute 1 ½ cans of beans)
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium red onions
salt
pepper
Shell and devein shrimp. Put shells in a few cups cold water and boil for 20 minutes to make quick broth. Set aside.
Finely chop onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Heat ¼ cup olive oil over med-high heat. Sauté veggies (minus garlic, so it doesn’t scorch) until nearly golden. Next add garlic.
Cook for a couple of minutes, then add cannellini and 4 shelled and deveined shrimp (hold on to other 4 shrimp for garnish). Barely cover mixture with shrimp broth, and continue to cook all for about 8 minutes, uncovered, over medium-high heat (turn down a bit if mixture starts to boil).
With a hand-held blender (like the ones we use in the states to make milkshakes, etc.), blend mixture until nearly smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then blend once more.
Separate into soup bowls, and garnish each with reserved shrimp (chopped), a circle of olive oil surrounding shrimp, and a bit of cracked pepper. Mangiate!