Shrimp Bisque

Recipe for a creamy shrimp soup from the Cajun cuisine

In the American kitchen of the Southern States a bisque is a creamy soup often prepared with shrimp lobster or crawfish.
The secret of this soup is the preparation of the seafood broth, which gives the delicious taste. Serve the soup with fresh, crispy baguette.

Ingredients (serve 4 persons)

For the Shrimp Stock:
1 pound shrimp shells (shrimp to be saved for the bisque)
½ medium onion
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp coarse salt
2 dried bay leaves
1 tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tblsp. Brandy or Cognac
2 tblsp. dry Sherry
2 tblsp. fresh parsley
1,2 l water

For the Bisque:
1 pound reserved shrimp (deveined)
4 tblsp. Butter
½ medium onion
2 celery stalks
3 cloves garlic
3 tblsp. all-purpose flour
2 tblsp. tomato paste
350 ml milk
350 ml cream
500 ml shrimp stock
1 dried bay leaf
4 fresh basil leaves, torn
3 tblsp. hot sauce (Iguana Red Cayenne Pepper Sauce or Pepper King rote Cayenne Soße)
few pinches coarse salt

Directions

Peel the onion and dice finely. Peel garlic clives and mince. Clean the celery and dice finely. Wash the parsley and chop.
Bring the water to a boil and toss in all the broth ingredients (shrimp shells, brandy, sherry, ½ onion, pepper corns, salt, bay leaves, olive oil, parsley). Boil for 20-30 minutes. Strain stock into a bowl or container and discard the solids.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the remaining onions, celery and garlic and saute about 5 minutes until soft. Add the flour and tomato paste and stir to coat the veggies. Remove pan from the heat.
Stir in the milk, cream and broth and whisk until combined. Add the bay leaf, torn basil and hot sauce. Put back on the heat and bring to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes on low heat to reduce. Toss in some salt.

Add the shrimp and cook until they````````re pink, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, add some parsley and serve with warm french baguette.

Image source: Fotolia #78788472 © Brent Hofacker