Shrimp Bisque

It's that time of the year again! Today, it didn't get above 64 degrees, Whoo Hoo! Winter is on the way. Time to make all those wonderful soups I love so much. One of my favorite cream soups is an old Louisiana recipe, Shrimp Bisque. I prefer this recipe as it doesn't have tomato sauce or paste in it which gives it a lighter taste and doesn't overpower the delicate shrimp flavor. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! C'est Ce Bon!

1 pound shrimp, peeled and chopped
4 cups Half & Half
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons of celery, chopped
2 tablespoons of onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
Tony’s to taste


Saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add the shrimp, sauté until done. Blend in the flour, salt, paprika and pepper. Add Half & Half gradually and cook until thick, stirring frequently. Check seasonings and add Tony’s to taste. Serve.

Crawfish Bisque

I love, love, love Crawfish Bisque but it's one of those things that I have never tackled on my own because it's so labor intensive. When I go out to eat, I always order something I wouldn't or don't make at home and this is one of those dishes.

However, I've helped others make it many times and it's always fun to do as a group because that's how we roll in Louisiana! Food, drinks, people = PARTY!!! Because we get a group together, we all chip in on the ingredients and make enough for everyone to take a good quantity home. That's the way to do this really...just turn it into a Crawfish Bisque party. Supply the kitchen, snacks and cocktails, invite friends over and cook!

Stuffing

2 lbs crawfish tails
60 cleaned crawfish shells
1-1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped bell pepper
2 tbs minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups seasoned Italian bread crumbs
salt, pepper and Tony's to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grind crawfish tails, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and parsley in a home-style meat grinder or food processor. Once ground, add eggs and enough bread crumbs to hold the mixture together but not so that the stuffing becomes too bready. Begin with 1 cup. Season to taste. Stuff equal amounts into the 60 crawfish heads. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.


Bisque

3 lbs crawfish tails
1-1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
2 tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 quarts crawfish stock****
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt, pepper and Tony's to taste

In a heavy dutch oven, heat oil and flour to make a dark brown roux. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic; sauté until vegetables are wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add crawfish tails and tomato sauce, blend well. Slowly add crawfish stock until sauce-like consistency is achieved. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and add stuffed crawfish heads. Stir well and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions and parsley and season to taste. Serve over white rice.

*** I would use Better Than Bouillon seafood paste and water for the stock and season with Tony’s.