Soup: Spicy Creamy Shrimp Soup

I have never made shrimp soup before.
I was out of town recently and my colleague whipped this up and while I would've loved to add a lot more things to it - I'll share how it was made and my ideas in the "optional" section.

Don't get me wrong! It was filling and lovely - but that's the thing with cooking in someone else's kitchen is that you might not have access to the same spices or tools you would have if you were home or in a more familiar kitchen. :)
This was based on me mildly observing what they were pouring into the pot because I was stuck with the task of dicing an onion with a paring knife...so measurements are approximate.  Fix it to the amount of people you're cooking for...so - more people = more ingredients. 😊

What you need:

• 2% milk - approximately ½ a liter
• 2 dl of heavy cooking cream
• 1 medium sized onion diced
• "Sulatejuusto" is a soft cheese for cooking and is thicker and heavier than cream cheese. You need a good sized chunk to thicken it.
• Spices: salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Bag of frozen chili flavoured shrimp (if this isn't available - natural flavoured is fine)
• Dill
• Slice of bread/dinner roll etc to have on the side

What to do:

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan warm the milk.
2. In a separate frying pan - fry your diced onion.
3. Add onion to your soup, along with a good sized chunk of the soft cheese.  The Finnish brand is Koskenlaskija.
1. Make sure to stir well so the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom and melts evenly.
4. Add your heavy cooking cream and spices.
5. Once your soup is completely liquid (cheese has melted) and is bubbling slightly - add in your frozen shrimp until soup is bubbling again (about 2-4 minutes) and then serve with dill sprinkled on top.
6. Enjoy with a dinner roll or slice of bread.

What I would do:

• I would add perhaps 4 peeled and chopped cloves of garlic to the pan with the onions.
• Fry the shrimp with the onions and garlic and top the soup with the shrimp.
• Use coconut milk and cream for a lighter taste and to not have such a sore tummy after..
• Maybe a squirt of lime juice with cilantro instead of dill...
• Chili flakes - I love them so much.  Sprinkle that sh*t everywhere...
• Skip the dill - dill and shrimp don't go together for me.
• Maybe add some chopped veggies but I am on the fence about this one...it was just so heavy in dairy and cream - my guts were crying (but yet happily full) afterward.

Minor changes but perhaps if I make it sometime in the future - I will be able to feel what works and that's honestly how I cook.  I more or less wing it and hope for the best and go based on what feels right, tastes and smells good.

XO,
Dominique