I have to say that this is a really, really delicious shrimp bisque. Must be the brandy, right?
For the last Barefoot Blogger recipe of January, Jennifer of Our Blessed Home chose Shrimp Bisque. This really hit the spot, since I'm at the tail-end of a cold. The pinch of cayenne was perfect.
For those of you who have Barefoot Contessa at Home, the bisque recipe is on page 52. The seafood stock can be found on page 55. Before I realized that, I cooked my shrimp shells in chicken broth to get the same effect. Next time, I will try the stock recipe to compare.
The shrimp are added to the lightly cooked leeks along with some cognac or brandy and sherry, or white wine, in my case.
Once the shrimp are cooked, the mixture is transferred to a food processor and coarsely chopped. I think I would skip this step and just chop the shrimp by hand, maybe even before cooking it. While the texture of the bisque was ok, it would be improved if a) the shrimp were pureed to oblivion, giving a smooth finish; or b) the shrimp were in larger pieces. B would be my choice.
Next comes the bechamel sauce,
to which is added the shrimp-leek mixture, the seafood stock, some tomato paste, and seasonings. The bisque is then gently heated until warm.
Delicious.
I'm glad I only made half a batch; otherwise I would have eaten it all. Before me, as I type this, is the remaining bowl of bisque, reheated, and still very good.
Check out the Barefoot Bloggers to see what everyone did, and what the February offerings will be.
2 comments:
I had Lobster Bisque in Monterey Bay 2 years ago - and have never tried to make my own.
Perhaps now is the time!
I'm glad you enjoyed the soup. It was one of my favorites as well.
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