Chilled Cucumber Soup with Salt-Roasted Shrimp

• Recipe by Jim Burke

Jim Burke’s cucumber soup with lime, garlic and ginger is light, refreshing and restorative; his kitchen staff jokes that it’s like a mini spa treatment. For extra substance, Burke adds salt-roasted shrimp, avocado and a hit of spicy chile oil.

Ingredients

1. 2 large English cucumbers (2 pounds total), halved lengthwise
2. 3 cilantro sprigs, plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
3. 2 garlic cloves, crushed
4. One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
5. 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
6. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
7. 1/4 pound large shrimp
8. 1 Hass avocado, cut into thin slices
9. 1 teaspoon hot chile oil

Directions

1. Using a juicer, juice the cucumbers into a large bowl (you should have about 3 cups of juice). Stir in the cilantro sprigs, garlic, ginger, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Spread 1/3 cup of salt in a medium skillet. Heat the skillet until the salt is hot. Add the shrimp and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until pink, about 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Peel the shrimp and remove the intestinal vein. Cut the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the chopped cilantro, avocado and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lime juice.
3. Strain the cucumber juice through a fine strainer into a large measuring cup. Spoon the shrimp into shallow bowls and drizzle with the chile oil. Pour the cucumber soup around the chopped shrimp and serve.