I remember my first bowl of shrimp bisque at a cozy restaurant in Paramus like it was yesterday. It was delicious and notable because it came with a sidecar of brandy. Welcome to Jersey!
Making a Modern Shrimp Bisque
You can use any shrimp you like, but my favorite is extra-large Argentinian Reds. Select the eight prettiest with tails for the final garnish. Peel and devein them, leave the tails on, reserve the shells for stock then season and refrigerate until ready to use. Peel and devein the remaining shrimp, again reserving the shells for stock and the meat for the bisque.
Begin by Making Shrimp Stock
Add two tablespoons of butter to a large pot or dutch oven. Place the shells, onion, celery, thyme, garlic and peppercorns in the pot.
Cook over medium low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until the vegetables soften, then add 3-1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove from the heat and strain with a fine mesh sieve. Discard the solids, reserve the stock and set aside.
Wipe out the pot or dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the onion and celery over medium low heat, occasionally stirring for about 5 minutes until vegetables are soft, before turning color.
Add the garlic and thyme, then cook 1 minute more.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to begin cooking the flour.
Deglaze the pot with a splash of brandy, then pour in the cream sherry, stir in the worcestershire, creole seasoning, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
Stir until it returns to a simmer, then stir in the tomato paste and three cups of shrimp stock, reserving the remainder for the final adjustment. Add the peeled shrimp and return to a low simmer for 10 more minutes.
Transfer everything to a blender and puree until completely smooth, then pour in the cream. Blend on low for 10-15 seconds, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Blend again 5 seconds to integrate the seasoning.
Wipe out the pot and transfer the bisque back into the pot.
Keep the bisque warm until ready to serve. Now it is time to prepare the shrimp garnish.
Heat a cast iron skillet or carbon steel pan and add two tablespoons of butter. When it begins bubbling, place the reserved, seasoned, tail on shrimp to the pan and cook undisturbed for 2-1/2 minutes. Flip them over and cook another 2 to 2-1/2 minutes until they are fully cooked. Remove and reserve on paper towels.
Ladle the bisque into serving bowls and garnish with the sauteed shrimp.
Shrimp Bisque
Argentinian red shrimp bisque made with shrimp stock and cream
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 120
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
Shrimp Stock
- Shells from 2 lbs extra large Argentinian Red shrimp
- 1 TBL unsalted butter
- 1 small onion – chopped
- 1 rib celery – chopped
- 3 large white cremini mushrooms – halved
- 1 carrot – peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – smashed and peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
Shrimp Bisque
- 8 Argentinian Red shrimp de-veined and peeled – Tails on
- All the remaining shrimp – peeled and de-veined
- 3 cups shrimp stock
- 4 TBL unsalted butter – divided
- 1 TBL olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove – minced
- 1 large shallot – chopped
- 1 small celery rib – diced
- 2 TBL flour
- 1 splash brandy
- 1/2 cup cream sherry
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 3 tsp creole seasoning – divided
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 TBL tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Sea salt – to taste
Instructions
Shrimp Stock
- Choose the 8 largest, prettiest shrimp. Peel, but leave the tails on. Season with 2 teaspoons of creole seasoning, cover and refrigerate. Reserve the shells for the stock
- Peel and de-vein the remaining shrimp completely. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp. Use the shells for the shrimp stock
- Place the shells in a large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven with the onion, garlic, celery, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Cook 5-6 minutes while stirring continuously until the vegetables soften, then add 3-1/2 quarts water
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from heat, strain with a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids. Reserve the stock.
Shrimp Bisque
- Wipe out the pot, add 1 TBL of olive oil and 2 TBL of butter. Melt the butter over medium low heat, add the shallot and celery, cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more, until the shallot and garlic begin to get some color. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook 1 minute
- Deglaze the pot with a splash of brandy, wait 30 seconds then pour in the cream sherry, stir in the worcestershire, 1 tsp creole seasoning, smoked paprika, white and cayenne pepper. Stir until it returns to a simmer.
- Stir in 3 cups of shrimp stock and the tomato paste, add the peeled shrimp, raise the heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes to cook the shrimp
- Transfer everything to a blender and puree until completely smooth. Add the cream and blend on low speed to complete the bisque.
- Add more shrimp stock and blend it in if necessary to achieve a thinner bisque
- Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, blend it in and repeat if necessary
- Wipe out the pot again and transfer the bisque back into it. Keep warm until ready to serve
Shrimp Garnish
- Sautee the shrimp immediately before serving
- Heat a cast iron skillet or a carbon steel pan over medium heat, add 2 TBL butter
- When it begins bubbling place the seasoned tail-on shrimp in the pan. Cook for 2-1/2 minutes without disturbing them. Flip them over and cook another 2 to 2-1/2 minutes
- Reserve on a paper towel until ready to garnish the bisque