When developing this recipe, Epicurious member Joan Higgins of Pearl River, New York, decided to use extra shrimp to make sure that her diners had a piece of shrimp with each spoonful. The bisque’s base is indulgent, too—half-and-half infused with earthy nutmeg and enlivened with paprika. Even with its deep flavor and silky texture, Higgins says the best thing about this recipe is that it’s foolproof.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large, heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shrimp shells and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2
In a large sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shrimp and sauté, stirring frequently, until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool. Reserve 4 shrimp for garnish and coarsely chop the rest.
Step 3
In the same pan over moderately high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the thyme and Sherry, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add the reserved shrimp stock, and purée until smooth. Set aside.
Step 4
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining tablespoon butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the hot half-and-half in a steady stream. Add the puréed shrimp stock mixture, tomato paste, paprika, and nutmeg, and chopped shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook over moderate heat until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 5
Divide the soup among 4 bowls and garnish each with the reserved shrimp. Serve immediately.
DO AHEAD
Step 6
The SHRIMP STOCK can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.
