Rich Shellfish Soup (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Base Ingredients

01 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
02 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined with shells set aside
03 - 2 seafood bouillon cubes mixed with 4¼ cups water, or 3¾ cups clam juice or seafood stock
04 - 2 dry bay leaves

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 8 to 10 green onions, white and light green parts sliced (about ¾ cup), dark green tops reserved for garnish
06 - 2 medium carrots, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
07 - 2 medium celery ribs, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
08 - 3 garlic cloves, chopped

→ Seasonings & Spices

09 - 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
10 - 1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
12 - ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjusted to taste
13 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Additional Components

14 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
15 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
16 - ¼ cup brandy
17 - ¼ cup dry sherry or dry white wine
18 - 1½ to 2 cups heavy cream, adjusted to preference
19 - 8 ounces lump crab meat, divided

→ Optional Garnishes

20 - Fresh chopped parsley
21 - Hot sauce
22 - Smoked paprika

# Instructions:

01 - In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the reserved shrimp shells and cook them, stirring often, until they turn lightly golden and fragrant, roughly 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the bouillon mixture with water and toss in the bay leaves. Let everything come up to a gentle simmer, then dial back the heat and let it bubble away quietly for about 15 minutes. Strain the flavorful liquid into a big bowl and toss out the shells. Measure your stock—you want 3¾ cups total, so add a splash of water if you're short. Set this liquid gold aside for later.
02 - Give the pot a quick wipe with a paper towel if needed, then put it back on the stove. Drop in another tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once it's melted and shimmering, add your shrimp with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Let them sizzle and turn opaque, stirring now and then, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them onto a plate—keep 4 to 6 shrimp aside for topping your bowls later, and the rest will go back into the bisque soon enough.
03 - Melt the last 2 tablespoons of butter in your pot over medium heat. Add the sliced white and light green parts of the onions along with the diced carrots and celery. Let them sweat down gently, stirring every so often, until they're soft and tender—about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the chopped garlic, paprika, Old Bay, cayenne, and season with about ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir everything around until it smells amazing, roughly a minute.
04 - Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook down, stirring constantly, until it deepens in color and caramelizes a bit—about 2 minutes does the trick. Sprinkle the flour over everything and keep stirring for another 2 minutes to cook out that raw flour taste. Pour in the brandy and sherry, using your wooden spoon to scrape up all those tasty brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pot. Let the alcohol cook off until the liquid nearly disappears.
05 - Slowly stream in your prepared shrimp stock while whisking constantly—this keeps everything smooth and prevents any lumps from forming. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then lower the heat so it just bubbles gently. Let it cook away, whisking occasionally, for about 15 minutes to marry all those wonderful flavors together.
06 - Turn off the heat and add most of your cooked shrimp back into the pot, saving those few you set aside for garnish. Now comes the magic—grab an immersion blender and puree everything right in the pot until silky smooth. If you're using a countertop blender instead, work in small batches, filling it only a third of the way, venting the lid, and covering with a kitchen towel to avoid any hot soup explosions.
07 - Put the pot back over medium-low heat and stir in 1½ cups of heavy cream. Add half of your lump crab meat and stir gently. Let everything warm through—just a few minutes—but don't let it boil or you'll lose that luxurious creaminess. Give it a taste and adjust with more cream, salt, or pepper until it's absolutely perfect.
08 - Ladle the gorgeous bisque into warm bowls. Top each serving with the reserved whole shrimp and the remaining crab meat. Sprinkle with those dark green onion tops you saved, and if you're feeling fancy, add a touch of fresh parsley, a dash of hot sauce, or a dusting of smoked paprika. Serve immediately and watch everyone swoon.

# Notes:

01 - This recipe yields approximately 64 ounces of bisque, perfect for serving 4 people as a hearty main course or 8 as an elegant starter.
02 - For a quicker version, swap in 12 ounces of pre-cooked cocktail shrimp and skip making the shrimp stock—just use store-bought seafood stock instead.
03 - When blending hot liquids in a stand blender, always work in small batches, filling only one-third of the container. Vent the lid and hold a folded kitchen towel over the top to prevent dangerous splatters from steam expansion.
04 - Don't let the finished bisque come to a full boil after adding the cream, as this can cause it to break and lose its silky texture.

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