re: A Little Shrimp And Corn Soup

A pretty simple recipe, MD. It's taken from the River Roads Recipes cookbook (I don't recall which edition). Their ingredient list is pretty basic and can be modified to taste. It goes something like this:

1/3 cup of oil
3 tablespoons of flour
2 medium onions (chopped)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
1 lb. of peeled shrimp
1 16 oz. can of whole or stewed tomatoes
1 16 oz. can of whole kernel corn (1/2 of liquid removed)
salt, black pepper & red pepper, to taste
1 cup of water (or stock)

Make a roux using the flour and oil. When the roux is a golden brown, add the onions & bell pepper and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Once the vegetables have softened, add the tomatoes (undrained) and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add the corn, 1 cup of water (or stock), salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are cooked. Once the shrimp are in, you can adjust your seasonings to taste. While simmering, it may be necessary to gradually add more water until your desired consistency is achieved.

The recipe, as written, doesn't include garlic, parsley, green onions, etc. Any of these can be added, if desired. It also calls for the shrimp to be added in much earlier and cooked for over an hour. I add mine in much later and just cook them until done. Fresh corn can be used instead of canned corn, as can creamed style corn, which some folks prefer. The recipe multiplies well if you're cooking for a crowd.