Yes, there are a lot of ingredients here. I promise you . . . they are worth it! This is a rich, velvety soup that people will swear is thickened with flour and must have heavy cream in it.
The thing that really stands out to me in this recipe: tomato paste. Tomato paste is one of those fantastic foods that has a naturally high level of free glutamate acids—providing that richness in flavor to the dish that might not otherwise be there (anchovies, fish sauce, and nori are other high sources of free glutamate).
1 pound (454 g) (½ kg) raw large shrimp
3 cups (750 mL) seafood or chicken stock
1 cup (250 mL) water
2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
½ cup (50 g) chopped leeks (white and light green parts)
1 onion (small), diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Old Bay seasoning
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) brandy
¼ cup (60 mL) dry sherry
2 tablespoons (30 ml) grass-fed butter or coconut butter
2 tablespoons bacon fat
¼ cup (40 g) almond flour
1 tablespoon (15 ml) arrowroot powder
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
½ cup (110 g) tomato paste
- Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving shells. In a large pot, heat the stock and water along with the shells from the shrimp. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Strain the shells out, reserving all the liquid.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the oil over medium/medium-low heat. Add the leeks and onions, stirring frequently, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the leeks and onions are soft and translucent and somewhat caramelized (being careful not to brown).
- Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.
- Add the Old Bay, cayenne pepper and shrimp and stir. Cook for about 3 more minutes or until shrimp are pink.
- Add brandy to mixture and stir. Stir for a minute or two then add the sherry. Stir for about 2 minutes more.
- Add all contents of pan to food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
- In the pan you just had the shrimp/leeks/onions in, add the butter/bacon fat and melt over medium heat.
- Add in almond flour and arrowroot powder, stirring for a few minutes until it starts to brown.
- Add the mixture from the food processor, the coconut milk, and the strained stock liquid into the pan with the flour/ fat mixture.
- Stir in the tomato paste, and let simmer until heated through. Taste and season as you’d like.
Tips & Tricks—If you are using a gas stove, use extreme caution when pouring in the brandy as brandy can ignite and set your eyebrows on fire. I suggest turning the flame off, adding the brandy, stirring, and then turning heat back on. No one wants to be sporting a face with no eyebrows.
Variations—If you’re feeling adventurous, use some crab meat and crab roe along with or instead of the shrimp, and you’ve for the most part just transformed this soup into the Southern favorite of She Crab soup. You can always skip the brandy and sherry, but the flavor won’t quite be the same.
More Recipes You'll Love
- KHORESHT LUBIA SABZ (PERSIAN GREEN BEAN STEW)
- Beef and Vegetable Stew
- CURRIED CHICKEN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Shrimp (or crab) bisque is rich and velvety, thickened with almond flour and arrowroot instead of flour and cream. Shrimp shells make the stock, tomato paste brings the glutamate richness, and brandy and sherry round out the pot. People will swear there is heavy cream in it.
Pro Tips
- Simmer the shrimp shells in the stock 20 minutes first - that shell liquor is where the bisque's depth comes from.
- Cook the leeks and onions slowly until soft and slightly caramelized but never browned; browned alliums turn the bisque bitter.
- Blend the shrimp mixture smooth before it joins the roux - the soup should be silken, with no shells or chunks.
- Tomato paste is the quiet hero here: its natural free glutamates mimic the richness of cream-based bisques.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use crab instead of shrimp?
Yes - crab meat and crab roe transform this into the Southern She Crab soup, per the variation.
Can I skip the brandy and sherry?
You can, though the recipe notes the flavor will not be quite the same.
Is bisque traditionally cream-based?
This one proves it does not have to be - coconut milk, almond flour, and arrowroot do all the thickening.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving shells.
- In a large pot, heat the stock and water along with the shells from the shrimp.
- Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
- Strain the shells out, reserving all the liquid.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the oil over medium/medium-low heat.
- Add the leeks and onions, stirring frequently, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the leeks and onions are soft and translucent and somewhat caramelized (being careful not to brown).
- Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.
- Add the Old Bay, cayenne pepper and shrimp and stir.
- Cook for about 3 more minutes or until shrimp are pink.
- Add brandy to mixture and stir.
- Stir for a minute or two then add the sherry.
- Stir for about 2 minutes more.
- Add all contents of pan to food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
- In the pan you just had the shrimp/leeks/onions in, add the butter/bacon fat and melt over medium heat.
- Add in almond flour and arrowroot powder, stirring for a few minutes until it starts to brown.
- Add the mixture from the food processor, the coconut milk, and the strained stock liquid into the pan with the flour/ fat mixture.
- Stir in the tomato paste, and let simmer until heated through.
- Taste and season as you’d like.
