Shrimp Bisque

For me, the start of Christmas dinner is clearly associated with a warm appetizer, which serves as a slow introduction to the long and delicious feast of this holiday. Soups may vary from year to year, but my favorite remains bisque, as it's a slow introduction to the meal that follows, with a very refined taste.

Of course, it's incredibly tasty with lobster, and I've also tried it with shrimp, which is just as flavorful and less laborious. This soup is served in small portions; I serve no more than 200 ml, to leave room for other dishes.

Ingredients

1 kg whole shrimp

2 tablespoons tomato paste

a handful of sun-dried tomatoes

1 leek

250 ml heavy cream or coconut milk

2-3 cloves garlic

2 L vegetable/chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1-2 tablespoons flour

50 g cognac

grated zest from one lemon for serving

ghee butter for sautéing

nutmeg

salt and pepper

Method of preparation:

1. Clean the shrimp, place the heads and shells in a bowl, and the peeled shrimp separately; rinse them under cold running water.

2. Sauté the leek in a large pot; when it softens, add the shrimp heads, shells, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes until the shrimp change color, then season with salt and pepper. Add the cognac, let it evaporate slightly, then add the tomato paste, stir, and add the broth. Let it simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.

3. Once the soup is ready, blend it with an immersion blender and strain the mixture through a fine sieve.

4. In another bowl, mix a little soup with flour to avoid lumps; you can adjust the consistency with flour. Then add this mixture to the shrimp broth. Add the heavy cream to the pot, taste, and season.

5. Optionally, you can fry the shrimp with ghee butter and lemon zest and serve them with the soup. Place them in the center of the plate when serving; it will look like something from the most elaborate restaurants. Or save the shrimp for shrimp pâté. The recipe will follow soon.

Bon Appétit