Provencale Prawn Soup (aka the Greenhouse Soup)

I thought it was bad enough going gluten free, but when I recently found out that fellow GF Blogger, Karina ( of Gluten Free Goddess fame) has a whole, HUGE list of 'no-no's', it made me realise how easy I have it, really. By The Bay challenged the GF community to come up with new or adapted recipes that would be suitable for Karina and the first appropriate one of mine that sprung to mind was this one.

This Provencale Prawn Soup is a GF adaptation of a recipe from the June issue of delicious. Magazine (to which I recently treated myself with a subscription). It uses so many of the vegetables that are in season right now, that I re-christened it the Greenhouse Soup. While the original recipe calls for prawns, I think a good version could also be made using chicken or firm white fish with the appropriate stock. Of course you could always keep it fully vegetarian as well.


Provencale Prawn Soup

3 tbsp Olive Oil
15 Large Cooked Prawns (peeled, tails intact, shells reserved)
1 tsp Tomato Puree
100 ml Water
1/2 Large Red Pepper (deseeded and chopped)
1 Large Ripe Tomato (deseeded and chopped)
1/4 Small Cucumber (deseeded and chopped)
1 Large Clove Garlic
1/2 Clove Garlic (crushed)
150 ml Vegetable Stock
Approx 6 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
1 Pinch Sugar
2 tsp Fresh Basil Pesto (I make my own with Basil, Pine Nuts, Garlic and Olive Oil)
Basil Leaves to garnish


1) Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a large pan. Add the prawn shells and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, cover with the water and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Press through a fine sieve to leave a smooth 'stock' and clean out the food processor.

2) Add the chopped pepper, tomato, cucumber, garlic clove and a little olive oil to the processor and blend until smooth. Remove the tails from 3 of the prawns and blend with the vegetables. Transfer to a pan, stir through the prawn stock and heat gently.

3) Mix the prawns and cherry tomatoes with the crushed garlic and a little olive oil. Season well before roasting or grilling for 5 minutes.

4) Stir the cayenne, sugar and seasoning into the soup and divide between 2 bowls. Top with the prawns, cherry tomatoes, a teaspoon of pesto and seasoning as required.