Recipe provided by Chef Crusco Catering in Austin, TX.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps. EVOO
- About 25 (U15 Shrimp) – peeled, deveined, shells reserved
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 carrots – peeled, chopped
- 2 celery stalks – peeled, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion – peeled, chopped
- ½ cup brandy
- 2 tbsps. tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (plus extra for garnish)
- 3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 Baguette – cut on a diagonal into 6 (1 inch thick slices)
Directions
- Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 bay leaf and 7-8 cups water. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain, discarding solids and set aside.
- Melt 1 tbsp. butter/1 tbsp. evoo in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
Add shrimp and sear on both sides (1-2 minutes per side). Transfer shrimp to a plate. - To the same pot, add the last tbsp. of butter and oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very soft, about 20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat; add brandy. Return pot to heat and stir until almost evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir for 1 minute. Add shrimp stock, remaining bay leaf, parsley and thyme.
- Season with salt/pepper and taste. Simmer uncovered until flavors meld together (25-30 minutes). Remove parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Reserve 12 shrimp for garnish and stir remaining shrimp into bisque. Working in batches, purée in a blender until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a clean pot. Discard solids in strainer.
- Pour the pureed bisque back into the pot. Stir in cream and reheat bisque over medium heat. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt/pepper.
- Preheat oven to broil. Brush oil onto bread slices and toast on both sides. Once golden brown set bread crostini aside.
- Ladle bisque into the center of large, shallow soup bowls. Place the crostini onto the soup and set a couple of shrimp on top. Garish wish some more heavy cream and fresh chives. Enjoy!
