Chilled Red-Pepper Soup with Sauteed Shrimp

1 seedless English cucumber, peeled

3 jarred roasted red peppers, diced (11/2 cups)

3 cups tomato juice

2 slices baguette, toasted and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

½

cup (8 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, peeled, minced and mashed to a paste

½

teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾

pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cut ¾

of the cucumber into 1-inch pieces and - working in batches if necessary - puree in a blender with the red peppers, tomato juice, toasted bread, 6 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the garlic, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed, and refrigerate until cold, at least one hour and up to 24.

Before serving, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing until they start to brown and lose their raw color, about two minutes. Stir in the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and ⅛

teaspoon salt, and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about one minute. Transfer to a plate to cool

Cut the remainder of the cucumber into 1/4-inch dice, and toss with the remaining tablespoon oil, the remaining teaspoon vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve the soup in individual bowls, garnished with the cucumber and shrimp.

Serves three to four.

"Big Buy Cooking" by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine (2010 Taunton Press)