The recipe for cream of beans, lentils, and shrimp is not only truly tasty but also quick to make.
Quick because I used canned borlotti beans cooked by steaming and lentils I had cooked a few days before, but if you have time or don’t want to buy ready-made beans, you can soak dry ones and proceed the next day with cooking.
During the Autumn/Winter season, preparing soups and creamy soups is a tradition in my kitchen because they are good, satisfying, and healthy.
We all know that legumes are excellent sources of protein and vitamins and are used in vegetarian/vegan diets as substitutes for meat and fish.
Personally, as I’ve already mentioned, I’ve introduced the consumption of legumes into my diet at least twice a week, so I’m always on the lookout for tasty and intriguing recipes.
Like this cream of beans, lentils, and shrimp, seen in a magazine many years ago (which I still keep) created by chef Simone Rugiati. And I must tell you that the recipe actually includes the use of canned beans.. along with a good vegetable broth, lentils, and shrimp, which we’ve also seen pair well with legumes in the cream of chickpeas and shrimp recipe!
So, have I intrigued you? Let’s head to the kitchen to prepare this tasty recipe!
Read the notes at the end of the recipe for any advice.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 94.27 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 10.86 (g) of which sugars 0.61 (g)
- Proteins 6.24 (g)
- Fat 1.70 (g) of which saturated 0.22 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 4.68 (g)
- Sodium 281.03 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 7 oz borlotti beans (canned)
- 12 shrimp (fresh)
- frozen mixed vegetables (celery-carrot-onion as desired)
- 2 tbsps cooked lentils
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps cognac
- rosemary (fresh)
- 1 pinch coarse salt
Tools
The immersion blender is useful in these preparations because it allows us to blend directly in the pot without having to transfer like with a food mill.
- 1 Immersion Blender
Steps
– Regarding lentils, you have two options: either use canned precooked ones or when you make lentils, cook a little more than usual and set them aside, even freezing them, for the recipe.
– After cleaning the shrimp from shells and intestinal vein (as I did for the preparation of Cream of Chickpeas and Shrimp), heat a drizzle of oil in a pan and sear them on both sides for about 2/3′ per side, then deglaze with cognac. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl, seasoning them with coarse salt and some chopped rosemary needles.
– Heat a drizzle of oil in a pot and sauté the vegetables; drain the beans well from the canning liquid, let them season by stirring, then add enough water to cover them (about 1 cup) and let them simmer over low heat for about 5′ adding rosemary as desired.
– Remove from heat, discard the rosemary sprig, and blend everything until smooth.
– Plate the bean cream and garnish the center of the plate with heated lentils and reserved shrimp (possibly cut in half). Serve with a sprinkle of fresh pepper.
Notes:
In this recipe, I didn’t add salt to the cream because canned beans are already seasoned, and not to the lentils either because I had prepared them a few days before. However, I recommend tasting and adjusting if necessary.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How do I proceed if I want to use dry beans?
– Soak them overnight in a bowl (they must be covered with water). The next morning, rinse under running water and cook in a pot over low heat with garlic, oil, and a few tomatoes for about an hour. Salt only towards the end of cooking, otherwise they’ll remain hard. If desired, you can add a pinch of baking soda to make them softer. Lentils do not need to be soaked.
– What can I use instead of shrimp?
– You might try using prawns or langoustines. However, langoustines should be boiled with their shells on and then peeled.
