Cajun Shrimp Bisque

Full of Cajun flavor and tender shrimp, this restaurant-quality bisque is perfect for date nights, special occasions, and busy weeknight dinners alike.

Prep: 15

Cook: 45

Total: 1

Yield:4 servings

Equipment

large soup pot or dutch oven
Large wooden spoon
whisk
immersion blender or standard blender, see Notes

Ingredients

For the Cajun Shrimp Bisque

¼ cup unsalted butter
4 cups seafood stock or shrimp stock, see Notes
¼ cup finely chopped green onions both white and green parts
1 ½ cups holy trinity see Notes
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning Louisiana Fish Fry, Slap Ya Mama, etc.; see Notes
¼ cup dry sherry or other dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined, chopped into bite-sized chunks
salt to taste
cayenne pepper or Louisiana hot sauce, to taste

Serving Recommendations

finely chopped chives
freshly cracked black pepper
Louisiana hot sauce
crusty bread
Louisiana beer optional; Abita Beer and NOLA Brewing recommended

Instructions

Heat large pot over medium heat. When pot is warm, add butter and allow to melt completely. Swirl butter around bottom of pot occasionally while melting to fully coat pot.
Once butter is melted, add green onions and holy trinity. Sauté vegetables, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and onions are translucent.
Reduce heat under pot to low. Sprinkle flour into pot, then stir until flour is completely incorporated into melted butter and mixture is golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.
Once flour mixture is golden brown, pour in sherry and whisk mixture until thick paste-like consistency forms.
Continue whisking while adding tomato paste and cajun seasoning. Once ingredients are incorporated, slowly add seafood stock in small increments, whisking constantly, until all liquid is fully incorporated.
Increase heat under pot to medium and allow mixture to come to low, gentle boil. Once liquid begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until onions, bell peppers, and celery are very tender and liquid has reduced slightly.
Remove pot from heat. See next step for very smooth bisque texture, or skip next step to use bisque as-is.
Optional: For smoother bisque, insert immersion blender into pot and carefully blend liquid and vegetables until desired consistency is achieved. See Notes if using standard blender.
With pot off heat, pour in heavy cream and stir until cream is well incorporated. Return pot to low heat. Taste bisque and add salt and cayenne pepper or hot sauce as needed.
Add shrimp to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are warmed through and tender, approximately 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook shrimp.
Once shrimp are ready, ladle bisque into serving bowls. Top with chopped chives, hot sauce, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread and Louisiana beer if desired.

Notes

Stock: I recommend using seafood stock or shrimp stock (store-bought or homemade) to give the bisque even more seafood flavor. If you have trouble finding either of those, though, you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock instead.
Holy Trinity: This veggie blend consists of onion, celery, and green bell pepper. You can chop your own trinity, or you can typically find the blend pre-chopped or frozen in most grocery stores.
Cajun Seasoning: If you don't have or can't find cajun seasoning, you can use creole seasoning instead. Note that creole seasoning is typically more mild than cajun seasoning, so adjust your amounts accordingly!
Sherry: You can replace the dry sherry with any other dry white wine, or use additional seafood stock to make the dish alcohol-free.

To Blend Hot Bisque in Standard Blender

Remove pot from heat and let bisque cool slightly before transferring to blender.
Fill blender no more than halfway. Work in batches as needed.
Let bisque cool in blender 2-3 minutes before blending.
Remove center cap from blender lid and cover opening with dish towel. Hold blender lid down while blending.
Blend in short bursts until desired consistency is achieved.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik