Creamy Shrimp Bisque Recipe
User Reviews
5
Creamy Shrimp Bisque Recipe
Description
The Creamy Shrimp Bisque Recipe begins by cooking shrimp shells with butter to extract flavor, then sautéing diced onions, celery, fennel, carrots, and aromatic herbs. Tomato paste is added for depth, followed by deglazing with white wine and cognac, concentrating the mixture. The skillet contents and shells are combined with water and simmered to create a flavorful stock.
After simmering, the broth is blended and strained to ensure smoothness. It is then thickened with a roux and enriched with heavy cream, resulting in a silky texture and creamy consistency. Seasoning with sea salt and white pepper completes the bisque. The recipe notes suggest cooking the bisque gently to prevent cream breaking, and garnishing options include cooked shrimp or crème fraîche.
This bisque works well served warm as an elegant starter or light dish, pairing nicely with crusty bread. The flavor is rich yet balanced, highlighting the seafood and fresh herb accents. It can be made ahead for convenience and benefits from proper reheating methods to preserve texture.
Storage guidelines include refrigeration for up to four days and freezing for three months, with thawing before reheating. Adjusting water volume can concentrate flavor if pureeing shells is avoided. Using fresh herbs and choosing the right white wine adds subtle differences to the finished soup.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter unsalted
- shrimp shells from 4 pounds of shrimp
- 2 small small diced yellow onions
- 2 celery small diced stalks
- ½ fennel bulb small diced
- 2 carrot small diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parsley small bunch
- 2 thyme sprigs, fresh
- 2 tarragon sprigs, fresh
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup cognac
- 12 cups water
- 2 ½ roux recipes
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- sea salt to taste
- ground white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large pot over medium heat and cook the shrimp shells until they are pink in color. See note.
- Set the shells to the side in a bowl and the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter to the pot over medium heat and in the onions, celery, fennel, carrots, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and tarragon, and cook until lightly browned about 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Mix in the tomato paste and cook over low heat until fragrant, about 2-4 minutes.
- Deglaze by adding in the wine and cognac and cook until the liquid has been mostly absorbed into the vegetables and evaporated, which takes about 3-4 minutes. There should be 1 - 2 tablespoons remaining.
- Add the shrimp shells back in along with the water and simmer over low to medium heat for 45-60 minutes.
- Roughly blend the shrimp stock with a hand blender or do it in batch in a regular blender.
- Strain the soup completely with a fine mesh strainer or chinois into a container and set it aside briefly.
- Next, in a separate large pot over low heat make the roux and then pour in the shrimp stock.
- Turn the heat to medium-high while continually whisking until it becomes very thick. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Finish by whisking in the cream, salt, and white pepper.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or chinois until completely smooth.
- Serve with optional cooked shrimp, crème Fraiche, or sliced chives
Notes
- Make the bisque up to one day in advance and store covered in the refrigerator.
- Reheat gently over low heat while whisking, or use a microwave until warmed through.
- Store leftovers refrigerated for up to four days or freeze for up to three months; thaw overnight before reheating.
- When cooking shrimp shells, pink shells will turn white as flavor extracts.
- If you prefer not to puree shells, reduce water to concentrate flavor, though total volume will be less.
- Repeated straining may be needed to achieve a very smooth bisque texture.
- Optional garnishes include cooked shrimp, crème fraîche, or thinly sliced chives.
- If cream breaks during reheating, whisk in a small amount of roux over medium heat to recombine.
- Suitable dry white wines include chardonnay, pinot grigio, or sauvignon blanc for deglazing.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 134 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 134kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 6g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 37mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 66mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 189mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2536IU | 51% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 45mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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