Shrimp Bisque Recipe by Mangia
Shrimp Bisque
When made classically, bisque is a thick, creamy, super-rich seafood soup. At one time, a cup of bisque set the stage for still richer things to come. Times have changed, though, and so have people's preferences, including our own. We kept the seafood, but cut way back on the amount of cream, with no loss to either texture or flavor. Easy to prepare and slightly retro but still very au courant, this stands beautifully on its own, as a main- course bowl. Or use it as a first course and pull out all the stops: Capitalize on the bisque's intriguing pink color by garnishing the bowls with snipped chives, the blossoms still attached. A roasted or grilled fish entree to follow would work just fine.
Ingredients
- 1 small white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large baking potato
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pinch of saffron threads
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups clam juice
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 ½ pounds baby shrimp peeled
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Peel, trim, and finely dice the onion. Peel, trim, and slice the garlic. Peel and cut the potato into small chunks. Wash, trim, seed, and chop the tomatoes.
- In a large, heavy pot, sauté the onion in the butter over low heat, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic, and sauté it, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, taking care not to let it burn. Add the tomatoes and saffron and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated.
- Stir in the clam juice and the cayenne; then add the potatoes and cook until they are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the bisque cool.
- Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Pour the puree back into the soup pot, place it over medium heat, and simmer the bisque for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream until incorporated. Serve immediately.
