For every holiday meal, I try to add a menu item with roots in Louisiana. This soup fits the bill and is a decadent first course for Thanksgiving, but this creamy, rich soup is a great option year-round.
Shrimp bisque is a flavorful soup that highlights the delicate flavor of shrimp, enhanced by using shrimp shells to make a flavorful stock for depth. The key to a luxurious texture lies in building layers of flavor—sautéing aromatics, deglazing with brandy, sherry or in my recipe white wine, and finishing with cream or half-and-half. The soup is pureed for silkiness while adding whole shrimp at the end for texture.
To make soup, start by making your own shrimp stock. Wash, peel and devein shrimp, reserving heads and shells. Place heads and shells in pot with water and remaining ingredients. Cook one hour, skimming foam from top. Strain and measure 6 cups stock.
In a skillet, melt butter. Add carrots, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and tarragon.
Cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp, tomato paste and wine. Cover and cook 5 minutes. For garnish, remove 12 shrimp and chop coarsely. Set chopped shrimp aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine rice and stock. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add shrimp mixture, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Puree soup using an immersion blender or a stand blender, being careful with blending hot liquids. Finish soup by adding cream, salt and Madeira wine. Heat and garnish with shrimp.
Shrimp Bisque
This traditional Cajun soup is decadent with a hint of spiciness. The Madeira wine and cream, add the perfect finish to this soup.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Wash, peel and devein shrimp, reserving heads and shells. Place heads and shells in pot with water and remaining ingredients. Cook one hour, skimming foam from top. Strain and measure 6 cups stock. If stock is short, add water to make 6 cups
- In a skillet, melt butter. Add carrots, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and tarragon.
- Cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp tomato paste and wine. Cover and cook 5 minutes. For garnish, remove 12 shrimp and chop coarsely. Set aside.
- In a 3-quart saucepan, combine rice and stock. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add shrimp mixture, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Puree using an immersion blender. Add cream, salt and Madeira. Heat and garnish with shrimp.