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Emeril's Shrimp Bisque with Shrimp Boulettes

Source of Recipe

Emeril Lagasse, 2002


List of Ingredients

Shrimp Stock:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup roughly chopped yellow onions
1/4 cup roughly chopped carrots
1/4 cup roughly chopped celery
1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells and heads reserved, meat used for bisque and boulettes
1/2 cup white wine
8 cups water

Shrimp Bisque:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup cognac or brandy
4 cups shrimp stock
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 pound shrimp reserved from shrimp stock recipe
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Shrimp Boulettes, recipe follows
Chopped chives, garnish




Recipe

To make the stock, in a large heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp shells and heads and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil, cooking until almost all evaporated. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, skimming to remove any foam that forms on the surface. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container, pressing on the shrimp shells to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the shells.
In a clean large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes.

Add the cognac and cook until almost evaporated. Add shrimp stock, tarragon and thyme and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor.

Return to the heat and add the shrimp, cream and lemon juice. Simmer gently until the shrimp are cooked through and the flavors marry, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and float 1 Shrimp Boulette in the center of each bowl. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.


Shrimp Boulettes:
1/2 pound shrimp, reserved from shrimp stock recipe
1 cup cooked medium-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1 tablespoon seeded and chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons Creole or whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
1/2 cup dried fine white bread crumbs
3 teaspoons Essence, plus more for dusting
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash
1/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the shrimp, rice, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, mustard, cheese, water, hot red pepper sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and cayenne. Process until the mixture is smooth but sticky, about 1 minute.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal balls. Heat 4 inches of oil in a large pot or electric fryer to 360 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon of Essence. In another bowl, combine the egg wash and 1 teaspoon of Essence. In a third bowl, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon Essence. Dredge each ball first in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, shaking to remove any excess. Dredge in the bread crumbs to coat evenly. Fry the balls in 2 batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels and season with Essence, to taste.