I came up with this recipe on a cold rainy day about a decade ago. Thick, rich, and creamy this bisque has pureed shrimp in it to add more shrimpy depth. This is one of my favorite creations, good enough to serve to company!
Peel 3 lbs medium shrimp and use shells for stock
1 cup leeks, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sticks salted butter. divided
1 cup flour, divided
5 cups shrimp stock, divided
2 lbs Peeled shrimp, divided
1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Stock:
Shells (and heads if using whole shrimp) from three pounds of shrimp
8 cups water
1 medium onion, quartered
1 celery stalk, cut up, plus the leafy heads from the celery bundle
1/2 handful parsley leaves and stems
1 carrot split and cut up
1-2 cloves garlic, cut in large pieces
bell pepper scraps (core and left over pepper, 1 bell pepper is more than the 1/2 cup needed in the saute)
leek scraps (but not the big leaves - just a little of the pale green part just above the white part)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
Make stock by combining all stock ingredients except shrimp shells/heads. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add shrimp shells/heads and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out all of the solids and discard.
While the stock is simmering, prep the veggies:
Melt 1 stick of butter in a skillet. Saute the leeks, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic when the saute is almost done.
Start with this:
End with this, no browning:
Transfer to a stock pot, continue to saute for 1 minute, add 1/4 cup flour, stir for 1 - 2 minutes, add 4 cups shrimp stock and stir to blend the flour/veggie mixture. Add salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and lemon juice. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Take 8 oz. shrimp and cube them (optional but makes it easier to blend with the immersion blender). Add to the bisque and cook 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and frothy.
Add 1 cup white wine, 1 cup shrimp stock, and 1/4 cup chopped parsley and bring to a boil. Add 1 1/2 lbs. shrimp and cook 10 minutes. Add 2 cups cream, bring to a light boil. Thicken with a slurry of 3/4 cup flour and water (or stock) to desired consistency, add 1 stick butter. Add more salt to taste, recipe should be a little salty (makes it richer).
Final step: Kerry Gold butter melting:
Serve - use the good china and silver
Yes, I know that the beginning calls for 3 lbs shrimp, peeled - the shells are for the stock and the recipe calls for 2 lbs of shrimp, I use the remaining shrimp for other cooking such as this grilled gochujang shrimp kabob served over Hatch chili and tasso cheese grits:
Peel 3 lbs medium shrimp and use shells for stock
1 cup leeks, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sticks salted butter. divided
1 cup flour, divided
5 cups shrimp stock, divided
2 lbs Peeled shrimp, divided
1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Stock:
Shells (and heads if using whole shrimp) from three pounds of shrimp
8 cups water
1 medium onion, quartered
1 celery stalk, cut up, plus the leafy heads from the celery bundle
1/2 handful parsley leaves and stems
1 carrot split and cut up
1-2 cloves garlic, cut in large pieces
bell pepper scraps (core and left over pepper, 1 bell pepper is more than the 1/2 cup needed in the saute)
leek scraps (but not the big leaves - just a little of the pale green part just above the white part)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
Make stock by combining all stock ingredients except shrimp shells/heads. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add shrimp shells/heads and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out all of the solids and discard.
While the stock is simmering, prep the veggies:
Melt 1 stick of butter in a skillet. Saute the leeks, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic when the saute is almost done.
Start with this:
End with this, no browning:
Transfer to a stock pot, continue to saute for 1 minute, add 1/4 cup flour, stir for 1 - 2 minutes, add 4 cups shrimp stock and stir to blend the flour/veggie mixture. Add salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and lemon juice. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Take 8 oz. shrimp and cube them (optional but makes it easier to blend with the immersion blender). Add to the bisque and cook 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and frothy.
Add 1 cup white wine, 1 cup shrimp stock, and 1/4 cup chopped parsley and bring to a boil. Add 1 1/2 lbs. shrimp and cook 10 minutes. Add 2 cups cream, bring to a light boil. Thicken with a slurry of 3/4 cup flour and water (or stock) to desired consistency, add 1 stick butter. Add more salt to taste, recipe should be a little salty (makes it richer).
Final step: Kerry Gold butter melting:
Serve - use the good china and silver
Yes, I know that the beginning calls for 3 lbs shrimp, peeled - the shells are for the stock and the recipe calls for 2 lbs of shrimp, I use the remaining shrimp for other cooking such as this grilled gochujang shrimp kabob served over Hatch chili and tasso cheese grits:
Comment