Prepare the cashew-rice cream: Rinse the cashews under running water, and then soak them in 1œ cups of water for 30 minutes. Place the cashews, soaking water and cooked rice in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Toss the chopped shrimp with paprika and salt to taste.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until lightly brown. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté until soft and just beginning to brown.
Add the tomato paste, reserved clam juice, fish stock, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring the soup to just below boiling, then simmer on low heat, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the shrimp and clams into the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.
Add the cashew-rice cream to the pot, pouring slowly and tasting as you go. (You might not need all of the cream.) Stir well and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Transfer the soup to a food processor or use an immersion blender and blend until creamy.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
1½ cups water
1/3 cup cooked white or brown rice
1½ lbs. shrimp, shelled and chopped
½ tsp. paprika
Kosher salt to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 6.5-oz. can clams, drained and clam juice reserved
3¼ cups fish stock
1 bay leaf
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste for garnish (optional)
This article appears in December 2011.