Mexican cocktail, a love affair with soup.

At Thanksgiving of 2014, we went to our sister-in-laws family's home. They welcomed us with open arms and shots of tequila... Wait the shots came came later. We feasted upon all manner or Mexican food, carne asada, tamales , rice, smoked duck ( my contribution ) and my new addiction... Mexican Cocktail. I was expecting a cold shrimp with avocado and red salsa sauce. Oh I was wrong. What we had as an appetizer was a soup, a shrimp soup with every condiment you would have on a taco, cilantro, minced sweet onion, tomato, avocado, hot salsa, and last but not least....catsup. Catsup, you say? Yes oddly they use it as a base for so many wonderful dishes.  This is a wonderful light dinner, and so good! 

Mexican Cocktail soup. 

5 servings

2lbs frozen shrimp with skins, peel and reserve shells for the stock

2 onions, one must be a white, or sweet onion to mince for the condiment bowl, the other any onion you have for the stock

1 bunch cilantro, trim it up mince the leaves for the condiment bowl, reserve stems for stock

1 tomato of good quality minced for condiment. 

1.5 TBS tomato paste, this is where I fear off the original recipe.. I like the concentred flavor paste provides. They original recipe used a tomato in the stock. 

 A small lemon squeezed for the stock

1TBS Lemon pepper,

Salt to taste

1TBS garlic powder

1 avacodo diced

In a large soup pot add 3-4 quarts water, all the shrimp shells, just shells wait on the shrimp meat. The onion, tomato paste, lemon juice lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt. Add the cilantro stems after you prep the cilantro. Simmer stock for about 45 min taste as you simmer and add additional salt, lemon pepper garlic ect. You want a good stock. 

While your stock is simmering mince up the onion, he tomato, cilantro and dice the avacodo. I put them in little bowls so people can decide what they want in their own soup. 

When you satisfied the stock is good. Remove all the solids and reserve the stock. Add your shrimp and boil just long enough to cook the shrimp. 

Remove from heat and prepare your bowls. 

Spoon into each bowl a generous portion of cooked shrimp, and broth. 

Squeeze catsup over the soup, I just do one decent squeeze once around the bowl. Add taps too hot sauce to your liking. I like it hot! 

Now add the condiments, cilantro, avacodo, onion, and tomato. 

Enjoy!