Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Seafood Soups
Low-Fat
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 lb Fresh shrimp -- OR
-Scampi, Lobster or Crayfish
1 tb Safflower -- OR
-Virgin olive oil
1 Leek
- cleaned & sliced coarsely
1 sm Carrot -- peeled and sliced
1 Celery stalk -- sliced
2 Shallots -- peeled and chopped
1 Garlic clove
- peeled & minced
1 tb Tomato puree
1 1/2 c Dry white wine
2 qt Water
1 Chicken bouillon cube
- crushed
1 pn Saffron
-----HERB BOUQUET-----
1/2 ts Thyme -- and
1/2 Bay leaf, and
6 Fresh parsley stems
-(tied in cheesecloth)
-----FOR THE BISQUE-----
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tb Cornstarch
4 tb Non-fat powdered milk
1/2 ts Cognac, Armagnac or brandy
4 Basil leaves -- minced
1 t Tarragon, minced
1 tb Minced chives
SEPARATE THE TAIL from the shrimp and remove the meat,
reserving all shells, claws, heads and so forth. If
you wish, devein the tails, then cover and
refrigerate. Coarsely chop the heads and shells,
reserving 4 heads for decoration, if you have them. In
a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat,
then add the shrimp shells and cook them. Stir slowly
but continuously for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and
tomato puree and cook another 5 minutes, stirring. Add
the wine and bring to the boil for 30 seconds,
scraping the bottom to dissolve any coagulated juices.
Add the water, bouillon cube, saffron and herb
bouquet. Return to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1
hour. Pour the stock through a fine strainer into a
bowl, pressing down on the vegetables and shrimp
shells with a soup ladle to extract all of the liquid.
(For a finer result, strain again through
cheesecloth.) Return the stock to the boil. Moisten
the cornstarch in a little cold water, then add it to
the saucepan and boil for 4 minutes. Taste for salt
and pepper. (The recipe can be prepared ahead to this
point and refrigerated.) Bring the stock to a simmer.
Add the shrimp tails and let them cook a bare 2
minutes (for small or medium), or 3 minutes for extra
large. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and
divide them among 4 heated soup plates. Pour the stock
into a blender, add the powdered milk and cognac.
Blend until smooth and homogeneous. Pour immediately
into the soup plates over the shrimp tails. Garnish
each dish with an equal amount of the herbs and a
shrimp head (optional). This rich-tasting bisque has
only 90 calories per serving.
