Green Gazpacho

As winter dangles on the edge of spring, I find my cravings transition from bowls of warm, hearty chili to spoonfuls of its cooler cousin, the ever-fresh gazpacho. The April issue of Cooking Light Magazine rekindled my love of the chilled soup with its recipe for Cucumber Gazpacho with Shrimp Relish. Though I usually include tomatoes in my gazpacho, I enjoyed the simple pairing of cucumber and Greek yogurt as the base of this version. The shrimp and grape tomato relish, seasoned with cumin and paprika, gave both weightiness and spice to the soup. And as always, cilantro was a power player in flavors this summer-inspired dish.

COOKING LIGHT'S CUCUMBER GAZPACHO WITH SHRIMP RELISH

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cups chopped English cucumber
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Dash of ground red pepper
1 large garlic clove, peeled

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until done. Stir in tomatoes; remove from heat. Add cilantro.

2. Place remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, cucumber, and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Ladle 1 cup soup into a bowl; top with 3/4 cup relish.