Hello everybody!

Last time I shared with you a lobster recipe and it made me think of another famous French recipe which is Lobster bisque. The only inconvenient is a that lobster can be expensive and is a luxury food, so most of the time I like to make my bisque with shrimps instead as they are much more affordable.

The recipe is similar to the one of lobster bisque and the result is just as good. I get a rich flavor thanks to the shrimp heads as they have a lot of flavor on their own and cognac which gives a deeper flavor to the dish.

This shrimp bisque is actually quite easy to make and doesn’t take too much time either.  Bisque soup makes a great appetizer but I also love to drink it for dinner. This is definitely a heavier and richer soup than most since it contains butter and flour, so I find that it make you feel full faster than regular soup. This shrimp bisque is so flavorful, creamy and the perfect way to start your meal!

Let’s start cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 shot glass of cognac
• 2 thyme stems
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200 g shrimp heads
• 20 g butter
• 20 g flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups water
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Heavy cream

Preparation:

1- Remove the heads from the shrimp and put them in a pot. Cover with 4 cups of water and let it simmer for 30 min on low-medium heat. Strain to remove the heads and set the broth aside.

2- Cut a cross at the bottom of each tomato and add them into a large pot. Cover with water and boil them until the skin starts to detach. Strain and let them cool down.

3- Dice the onion and garlic cloves and set aside. Remove the skins from the tomatoes as well the seeds.

4- In a pot, add some olive oil and cook the onion and garlic cloves until soft. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 3 min.

5- Add the shot of cognac and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the tomato paste and mix well.

6- Add the shrimp broth, bay leaves, thyme stems and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 min on medium heat.

7- Mix the soft butter and flour until you get a paste. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Pour the soup in a blender and blend until smooth.

8- Pour back in the pot, and add in the mix of butter and flour. Mix well until the soup becomes thicker. Serve in a bowl with some chopped parsley and a drizzle of heavy cream.

This shrimp bisque makes a great appetizer and is a much more affordable version of the famous lobster bisque. It’s just as rich and flavorful as the original!

I hope you will enjoy this recipe! Let me know in the comment section what you think about this recipe and if you liked it.

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