58limited
Well-known member
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I decided to mess around in the kitchen today. We got several inches of much needed rain from TS Lee yesterday and overnight, so I'm staying indoors today. I had some awesome shrimp bisque at a local restaurant awhile back and decided to try and duplicate the recipe. I have never made shrimp bisque before but I actually came close to the restaurant's recipe (theirs has more salt and butter, and is thicker, making it VERY rich). I researched various shrimp bisque recipes on the net and made my own recipe using bits and pieces from several recipes. This was written as I cooked and experimented, so there may be some things that others would do in a different order. I'll try to fine tune it later:</span>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Shrimp Bisque</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 lbs shrimp (peel and use shells for stock). I ended up only using 2 pounds of shrimp in the bisque.
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup leeks, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup celery, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 stick butter</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup flour</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">5 cups shrimp stock, divided</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 cups heavy whipping cream</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tsp salt</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp white pepper</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp thyme leaves</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tsp lemon juice</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stock:</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Shells from three pounds of shrimp</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">8 cups water</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 - 3/4 onion, coarse chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 celery stalk, cut up, plus the leafy heads from the celery bundle</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 handful parsley leaves and stems</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 carrot split and cut up</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1-2 cloves garlic</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">bell pepper scraps (core and left over pepper, 1 bell pepper is more than the 1/2 cup needed in the saute)</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">leek scraps (but not the big leaves - just a little of the pale green part just above the white part)</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 bay leaf</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tsp salt</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Make stock by combining all stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out all of the solids and discard.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the leeks, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic when the saute is almost done. Transfer to a stock pot, continue to saute for 1 minute, add flour, stir for 1 minute, 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, cover and simmer 30 minutes.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Take 8 oz. shrimp and cube them. Add to the bisque and cook 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender. Add 1 cup white wine, 1 cup shrimp stock, and 1/4 cup 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. If desired, thicken with a slurry of flour and water to desired consistency (I used 1/3c. plus 1/6 c. flour. I also added 4 Tbsp. butter).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Some notes: I bought large shrimp to make peeling them faster and easier. However, I think small shrimp would work best, both for the puree and because I like the smaller whole shrimp in the bisque. I simply cut the large shrimp in half.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The saute can be done in the stock pot to eliminate the need to transfer from the skillet to the pot.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I suppose the flour added to the saute is not necessary, one of the recipes I copied added it at this point. All of the flour could be added at the end to thicken the bisque to the desired consistency instead of having to do this at two different times like I did.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">If you like a smooth cream soup, you can delete the additional 1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp and use only the pureed soup - it is excellent.
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">
</span>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Shrimp Bisque</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 lbs shrimp (peel and use shells for stock). I ended up only using 2 pounds of shrimp in the bisque.
</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup leeks, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup celery, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 stick butter</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup flour</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">5 cups shrimp stock, divided</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)
</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 cups heavy whipping cream</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tsp salt</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp white pepper</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 tsp thyme leaves</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tsp lemon juice</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stock:</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Shells from three pounds of shrimp</span></span></div>
<div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">8 cups water</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 - 3/4 onion, coarse chopped</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 celery stalk, cut up, plus the leafy heads from the celery bundle</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 handful parsley leaves and stems</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 carrot split and cut up</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1-2 cloves garlic</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">bell pepper scraps (core and left over pepper, 1 bell pepper is more than the 1/2 cup needed in the saute)</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">leek scraps (but not the big leaves - just a little of the pale green part just above the white part)</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 bay leaf</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tsp salt</span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Make stock by combining all stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out all of the solids and discard.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the leeks, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic when the saute is almost done. Transfer to a stock pot, continue to saute for 1 minute, add flour, stir for 1 minute, 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, cover and simmer 30 minutes.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Take 8 oz. shrimp and cube them. Add to the bisque and cook 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender. Add 1 cup white wine, 1 cup shrimp stock, and 1/4 cup 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. If desired, thicken with a slurry of flour and water to desired consistency (I used 1/3c. plus 1/6 c. flour. I also added 4 Tbsp. butter).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Some notes: I bought large shrimp to make peeling them faster and easier. However, I think small shrimp would work best, both for the puree and because I like the smaller whole shrimp in the bisque. I simply cut the large shrimp in half.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The saute can be done in the stock pot to eliminate the need to transfer from the skillet to the pot.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I suppose the flour added to the saute is not necessary, one of the recipes I copied added it at this point. All of the flour could be added at the end to thicken the bisque to the desired consistency instead of having to do this at two different times like I did.</span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">If you like a smooth cream soup, you can delete the additional 1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp and use only the pureed soup - it is excellent.
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