Shrimp Açorda: Satisfying Portuguese Soup

Shrimp açorda is a fisherman’s dish that can be enjoyed on a seaside cliff by the Atlantic Ocean on a cold Portuguese evening or on a hot summer night after a day at the beach. Also called açorda de camarão, it’s remarkably easy to make at home in less than an hour.

What Is Açorda?

Açorda, at its essence, is a dish born of poverty that’s evolved toward luxury over time. The dish has its most significant roots in the Alentejo, the heart of Portugal’s agrarian south-central heartland, where it’s often served as a simple soup made with garlic, bread and eggs.

But, if you visit some of the great seafood restaurants on Portugal’s central coast or in the north of the country, you’ll find açorda made with all kinds of fin fish, bacalhau and, in its most expensive incarnation, lobster.

We like to make the stew-like soup with shrimp since the tasty crustacean is both affordable and relatively easy to obtain. Doing so elevates the dish from nutritional necessity to festive luxury.

Ingredients

Shrimp açorda requires just the following ingredients:

How To Make Shrimp Açorda

There are three essential phases when cooking shrimp açorda:

• Sautéeing the shrimp.
• Making flavorful stock with the shells and heads of the shrimp.
• Cooking, thickening and finishing the soaked bread mixture.

After you gather the necessary ingredients and kitchen tools, the first step is to cut the shrimp, shell the shrimp and separate the heads. Next, devein the shrimp.

Once you shell and devein the shrimp, it’s time to sauté them. First, heat olive oil in a large saucepan and add garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the shrimp and sauté for precisely one minute per side. Once the shrimp are cooked, place them in a bowl and set them aside.

Once you remove the shrimp, immediately pour the heads and shells into the same pan. Sauté the shells and heads for about a minute or two and then add two quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer the broth for 25 to 30 minutes.

Place the bread in a high-sided mixing bowl and, once the stock is finished, strain the stock over the bread. Mix it a little until the bread is fully soaked – about 5 to 15 minutes.

Now it’s time to cut the shrimp into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces. Reserve four or five shrimp for the final presentation. Keep a bowl with the accumulated liquid from the shrimp for the next step.

Clean the saucepan that you used for the seafood stock and place it back on the stove. Add the accumulated cooked shrimp liquid (see above) plus a tablespoon of olive oil. Next, add the soaked bread to the pan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and creamy – about 5 to 10 minutes.

Once the mixture is thick, take the pan off the heat and add three whole eggs, one at a time, until they’re incorporated. Add the cilantro and then the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are just heated.

Once the shrimp açorda is fully cooked, ladel it into an earthenware bowl.

Place four or five whole shrimp on top of the açorda in a neat circular pattern. Crack an egg and place its yolk in the center of the whole shrimp.

Mix in the egg yolk just before you serve it to your guests. They’ll be wowed and you’ll be the hero of the dinner party.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp (13 to 25 count (per pound))
• 0.88 pound bread (preferably Portuguese or Italian rolls, cut into pieces)
• 2 quarts water (for shrimp stock)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons cilantro (finely chopped with some left over for garnish)
• 3 eggs (whole)
• 1 egg yolk (for final presentation)
• 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)

Equipment

• 4-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan

Instructions

• Remove shrimp shells and heads, devein shrimp and set shells and heads aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook garlic until just fragrant. Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the shrimp are just barely cooked. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
• Add the shrimp heads and shells to the pan and cook, stirring for one minute. Stir in the tomato paste until it’s barely caramelized. Add the water to the pot, bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• While the shrimp stock is cooking, cut up all of the shrimp (except for four or five) into bite-sized pieces. The whole shrimp will garnish the dish.
• Place the bread into a bowl and strain the shrimp stock over the bowl. Mix the bread and broth.
• Let the bread soak until moist – about 5 minutes.
• Remove the cooked shrimp from the bowl and place them on a plate. Clean the saucepan and place it back on the stove. Pour in the accumulated juices (including the cooked bits of garlic) from the cooked shrimp along with one tablespoon of olive oil. Place the heat on medium.
• Once the oil is heated, pour in the bread / shrimp stock mixture.
• Cook until the mixture is thickened into a cohesive stew. Once cooked, take the saucepan off the heat and add the whole eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped cilantro.
• Once the eggs are mixed, pour in the cut shrimp, mix thoroughly and serve in a cast iron or earthenware serving bowl. Garnish with whole shrimp with the egg yolk in the center.

Nutrition

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

What is shrimp açorda?

Shrimp açorda is a hearty Portuguese bread soup made with shrimp, shrimp stock and soaked bread.

Where was shrimp açorda invented?

The first açorda dishes were eaten in Portugal’s Alentejo region. They were simple soups made with bread, garlic and eggs. Seafood was later added which elevated açorda from a dish of poverty to something special that could be served at a ‘festa’.

What are the ingredients in shrimp açorda?

The ingredients in shrimp açorda include shrimp, bread, eggs, shrimp stock (from the heads and tails of the shrimp), cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper.

Where can you serve shrimp açorda

Shrimp açorda is an ideal and easy dish to serve at a dinner party for friends. It’s also great to eat during the week at home.

Do you have to use fresh shrimp when you cook shrimp açorda?

No. You can use frozen shrimp when you cook shrimp açorda. However, you’ll need to defrost the frozen shrimp by covering and soaking it in cold tap water for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Does the bread have to be stale for the shrimp açorda recipe?

No. You can use fresh bread for the shrimp açorda recipe.