Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque

Quote: "I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." -W.C. Fields


I love food. I love food. I love food. Sometimes I wish I didn't love food so much. Recently I've been trying to eat healthier. I already eat fairly healthy (not always on weekends) though so its not hard. Plus I really enjoy most healthy foods.

As soon as I move out into my own apartment I can't wait to start cooking. I love seafood and soup so this recipe sounds like something I would LOVE!!! Little Scrimpies are sooooo delicious to me. I'm definately going to have to try my hand at cooking this.

Any one else got any incredible recipes that I just HAVE to try making??



Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque


Ingredients:

1 lb large shrimp (16-20)
Shrimp Stock -
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups homemade or canned low sodium chicken stock (or broth)
pinch saffron threads (about 24)
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 fresh bay laurel leaves, torn
3 3-inch sprigs fresh sage
Soup -
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 teaspoon salt, less if using canned stock or broth
scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp -
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage


Make the shrimp stock:

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Cover the shrimp and refrigerate. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the sgrimp shells to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn deep orange and are just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. This step - pan roasting the shells - gives the stock much of its flavor, so take the time to do it carefully. The roasted shells should release a concentrated, toasty, shrimp aroma that will fill your kitchen. Add the wine to the pan, first turning off the gas flames to prevent the alcohol from igniting, then boil over the medium heat until all the liquid is evaporated. Add the chicken stock, saffron, celery, onion, bay leaves and sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, pushing down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Rinse out the stockpot and pour the stock back into it.

Soup:

Whisk the pumpkin into the stock, one can at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Whisk in the cream and cayenne. Bring the soup to a simmer, then cook very gently uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and season with black pepper and more salt if needed. (The soup can be made up to this point up to 1 day ahead stored covered in the refrigerator. Keep the peeled shrimp in a resealable bag buried in a bowl of ice in the refrigerator.)

Finishing the Soup:

Pour the olive oil into a large sauté pan placed over medium heat. When hot, add the reserved shrimp and sage and cook, tossing often, until the shrimp is just cooked through, pink, and no longer translucent, but not curled into a circle, 2 to 3 minutes. They should still have a tender snap when you bite into them. Arrange the shrimp in warmed serving bowls or a tureen. Bring the soup back to a simmer and then ladle it over the shrimp. Serve right away.