February can be a cruel month. After months of cold and ice, many are yearning for warmer weather, yet February rarely holds that. Instead, some of the coldest and stormiest days of the year reside in this chilly month. So it seems appropriate to pull out some soup recipes to help keep the chill at bay.
This month, I am sharing a particularly wonderful bisque that might make you grateful to have a bowl to curl up with. Snuggle in with warm blankets, a bowl of this creamy soup and some warm rolls and you've got a recipe for delicious!
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Shrimp and Corn Bisque
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cups boxed low sodium chicken, fish stock or shrimp stock
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 cups small cooked, shelled, and deveined shrimp
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- Cajun Seasoning, optional
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring often, until the roux begins to color. Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Stir and cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
Gradually add the stock to the vegetable roux mixture and whisk until smooth. Bring the liquid to a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary. Add the corn, thyme, salt, cayenne and pepper and allow to the mixture to simmer for 5 – 6 minutes.
Stir the shrimp, milk, and heavy cream into the simmering liquid and heat until hot. Once you have added the milk and cream, never allow the bisque to come to a boil!
Ladle the hot bisque into warmed soup plates and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and green onions. Dust with Cajun seasoning, if you wish.
- Yields: 8 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes