Squash and Shrimp Bisque
Preparation
20 MIN
Cooking
45 MIN
Servings
4

Squash and Shrimp Bisque

Ingredients

    Fish Stock

  • 1 lb (454 g) shell-on shrimp (uncooked)
  • 1/4 lb (115 g) white fish with skin and bones (such as halibut, haddock or cod)
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into rounds
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced
  • 1 onion, cut into wedges
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pastis (such as Pernod)
  • 5 cups (1.25 litres) water
  • 1 bouquet garni (see recipe)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) peppercorns
  • 1 pinch saffron (optional)

    Bisque

  • 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste
  • 3 cups (750 ml) peeled and diced butternut squash
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) 35% cream
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh tarragon
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

Fish Stock

  1. Peel the shrimp, keeping the shells aside.
  2. Chop the shrimp shells, fish and 4 shrimp in a food processor.
  3. In a saucepan, sauté the chopped shrimp mixture, carrot, celery, onion and garlic in 30 ml (2 tablespoons) butter for about 2 minutes. Deglaze with the pastis. Add the remaining ingredients. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly. Set aside.

Bisque

  1. In the same saucepan, soften the leek in 30 ml (2 tablespoons) the butter. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the fish stock and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. In a blender, purée the soup until smooth. Add the cream. Adjust the seasoning.
  2. In a large non-stick skillet, sauté the shrimp in the oil until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Ladle the bisque into bowls. Garnish with shrimp and sprinkle with tarragon.

Note

Instead of sautéing the shrimp, you can add them raw to the bisque. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes depending on size.

Bouquet garni

It’s easy to make a bouquet garni: simply tie together sprigs of fresh herbs from your garden or the market.

All you have to do is make a tight bundle of sprigs of parsley, thyme, rosemary and summer savory, about 7.5 cm (3 inches) long by 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick. Add 4 or 5 dried or fresh bay leaves and tie the whole bundle with kitchen string.

Hang to dry or use fresh.

Perfect for flavouring soups, broths and stews.