Shrimp Bisque

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Of extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. of medium shell-on, deveined, raw shrimp

4 large sprigs of thyme

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup of chopped celery

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons of long-grain rice

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Directions:

1.  In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat.

2.  Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook, stirring until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl and let cool. Peel shrimp and transfer to a clean bowl. DO NOT throw shells away.

4.  Return the shells to the pot. Add 8 cups of water and 3 sprigs of thyme.  Bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes (Putting the shells back into the pot allows you to make your own shrimp stock; There’s a lot of flavor in the shells).

5.  Strain the broth into a large bowl using a colander, pressing on the shells to extract the juices.  Then, discard the shells.

6.  Add the onion, celery, and remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot; season with salt and a pinch of cayenne. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes (Don’t let the cayenne scare you; this not a “hot” soup.  The cayenne just adds flavor).

7.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook until fragrant.  Then, add the wine (It is important to just add the paste first because this allows it to cook a bit before adding the wine). Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally.

8.  Add the shrimp, broth, and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat, skimming occasionally, until rice is cooked, about 1 hour.

9.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (You can use a regular blender for this but, BE CAREFUL while pouring the hot soup into the blender; you may need to do this in batches).

10.  Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

11.  Season the soup with more salt and cayenne, to taste.  Ladle the bisque into bowls; garnish with remaining thyme.