Shrimp & Tomato Bisque

My girlfriends were coming for the weekend so I wanted to make them something super delicious … it was chillier than we expected it to be this weekend, so I decided a nice pot of hot soup would be just the thing.

It did happen just perfectly … two of my friends were staying in a camper and when they showed up at my house on Saturday, it was just about lunchtime plus they were quite chilled and hungry so the soup warmed them right up and filled our bellies before we went out to see the sights. I was so happy because they all raved about the soup and the two who don’t like things too hot & spicy said it was just right. Whew!

Shrimp & Tomato Bisque

Makes about 2 quarts of soup

• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 – 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup Chardonnay or other white wine
• 2 garden fresh tomatoes + 2 roma tomatoes (about 0.7 lb), peeled and chopped
• 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
• 1 cup mixed vegetable juice such as V8 (or tomato juice)
• About 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• About 1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha (or other hot sauce … use more or less depending on how spicy you like your soup)
• 2 cups fat free half & half
• 1 lb shrimp, fresh or frozen
• To garnish: freshly shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs

Directions:

1. Peel and chop the garlic and mix it with the olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside to let the garlic infuse into the oil while you chop the rest of the vegetables.
2. Once you’ve chopped all the vegies, heat a saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and pour in the garlic and olive oil, then add the celery, onion and carrots and sautee until the onion is soft and translucent. If the vegetables get dry before the onions are soft, add the wine and cook until it has evaporated. Add the flour and stir to coat all the vegetables.
3. Add the wine (if you haven’t yet added it!), tomatoes, broth, juice, herbs, seasonings and Sriracha and stir well to mix. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the tomatoes break up and you have a nice thick soupy mixture, about 20 – 30 minutes or so. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree the soup. (If you have a blender with a glass carafe, let the soup cool a bit before pureeing it to avoid cracking the glass.)
4. Pour the soup back into the saucepan and add the half and half and stir to mix, then add the shrimp. Cook over medium low heat just until the shrimp is hot and cooked through. Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheese and fresh herbs if you like, with some flatbread or Naan on the side.

This recipe was shared at Weekend Potluck, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesday All my Bloggy Friends, Newlyweds Recipe Linky, Foodie Friday, Scrumptious Sunday, and My Meatless Monday.