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    Home » Soups

    Silky Shrimp Bisque Recipe with Sherry

    Published: Feb 11, 2011 · Modified: Apr 27, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 41 Comments

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    This silky shrimp bisque recipe is rich in flavor and elevated with a splash of sherry. Wonderful for special occasions, such as Valentine's Day!
    Silky Shrimp Bisque Recipe with Sherry for Valentine's Day

    Shrimp Bisque Recipe with Sherry

    This heavenly shrimp bisque recipe has Valentine's Day written all over it! As Cupid prances in, carrying his trusty bow and quiver of arrows, food talk inevitably turns to oysters, chocolate, and other well-known aphrodisiacs.

    Did you know that honey, avocados, and garlic make the list? Garlic - really? Garlic breath to get you in the mood - not on my watch. In the multiple articles on aphrodisiacs I read, however, "shrimp bisque" did not make appearance on a single one. How this creamy seafood soup got ousted in favor of garlic, I will never know.

    Traditionally, bisques are made with a good deal of butter and cream, which helps to achieve the silky texture. However, in keeping with my New Year's resolutions, I lightened up this bisque by replacing butter with heart-healthy olive oil and reducing the amount of cream to a mere quarter cup for four servings.

    Any concern I had over losing the distinctive creamy texture was driven away at first slurp. The shrimp stock, flavored with dry sherry, blends beautifully with the shrimp and a mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) to make a soup that is worthy of aphrodisiac status.

    How to make this shrimp bisque recipe:

    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan set over moderately high heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until the tails turn pink, about 2 minutes.

    ShrimpBisque1

    Add sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until most of sherry is evaporated. Add water and bay leaf, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. Pour shrimp stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Press gently on the shrimp shells to release extra liquid. Discard shells and bay leaf.

    ShrimpBisque3

    While stock is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and set aside. To the saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive and carrots, celery, and onion.

    ShrimpBisque2

    Cook until the onion and celery are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp stock, rice, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and salt. Cover the saucepan and simmer the mixture until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Reserve 8 shrimp and stir the remaining shrimp into the soup. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

    Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (in 2 to 3 batches), puree the soup until smooth. Take care not to burn yourself. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in cream. Reheat on low.

    Serve soup and garnish each serving with 2 of the reserved shrimp.

    ShrimpBisqueLS

    Shrimp bisque in a blue and white bowl.

    Shrimp Bisque Recipe with Sherry

    This silky shrimp bisque recipe is rich in flavor and elevated with a splash of sherry. Wonderful for special occasions, such as Valentine's Day!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soups
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Bisque Recipes, Shrimp Soups
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 4 Servings (appetizer)
    Calories: 200kcal
    Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

    Ingredients

    • ¾ pound medium shrimp shelled & deveined, shells reserved
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
    • ⅓ cup dry sherry
    • 5 cups water
    • 1 carrot chopped
    • 1 large stalk celery chopped
    • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
    • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon long-grain white rice
    • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tomato paste
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
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    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan set over moderately high heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until the tails turn pink, about 2 minutes.
    • Add sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until most of sherry is evaporated.
    • Add water and bay leaf, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.
    • Pour shrimp stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Press gently on the shrimp shells to release extra liquid. Discard shells and bay leaf.
    • While stock is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
    • To the saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive and carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the onion and celery are soft, about 5 minutes.
    • Stir in shrimp stock, rice, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and salt.
    • Cover the saucepan and simmer the mixture until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
    • Reserve 8 shrimp and stir the remaining shrimp into the soup. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
    • Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (in 2 to 3 batches), puree the soup until smooth. Take care not to burn yourself.
    • Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in cream. Reheat on low.
    • Serve soup and garnish each serving with 2 of the reserved shrimp.

    Notes

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the WP Recipe Maker calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1small bowl | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2899IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

    Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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      Comments

      1. Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

        October 19, 2012 at 4:57 am

        Good morning! I have featured this recipe on my blog today for my weekly seafood round-up and have linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/10/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-39.html

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      I'm Dara, a Canadian living in the U.S. and sharing my favorite healthy recipes. My cooking motto is that healthy eating never needs to be boring!

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