Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium shallots, thinly sliced (1 cup)

Kosher salt

1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 (8-ounce) baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

7 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 ¼ pounds (medium) shrimp, shelled, deveined, and halved horizontally

2 tsp Turkish red-pepper paste or harissa

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring, until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Strain the broth into a heatproof bowl and transfer the shallots and potatoes to a blender. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil and 1 cup of the broth and puree until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Stir in the remaining broth and season with salt. Bring the soup back to a simmer over moderate heat. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the pepper paste and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt. Add the shrimp to the soup and cook just until they are pink and curled, about 1 minute. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the scallions, and serve. Serves: 10.