Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp bisque is a smooth, cream-finished soup whose flavour comes from shrimp shells rather than shrimp meat: the shells and heads are roasted or sautéed, simmered into a stock, blended and strained, and the resulting liquid is thickened, enriched with cream and a splash of brandy or sherry, and garnished with a few whole shrimp. The form is French, from the lobster and crayfish bisques of the classical kitchen, where the thickener was originally rice and later a roux; the shrimp version is a fixture of American coastal cooking, especially in the Gulf states and Louisiana, where Cajun and Creole kitchens add cayenne, bell pepper and a darker roux and where it sits on menus next to gumbo and étouffée. Restaurant shrimp bisque ranges from a thin, elegant velouté served in a cup to a thick, rust-coloured bowl that eats like a meal, and both are legitimate.