Menu
  • Home
  • Copyright
  • Contact

Feast on the Cheap

Entertaining Recipes for the Budget Gourmet

  • twitter-bird2-square-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • rss-cube-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • facebook-logo-square-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • pinterest-square150
  • 3d-transparent-glass-instagram-icon
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked
  • Links
  • Home
  • About Mary Anne and Mariel
  • Copyright
  • Links
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked
  • Contact

Cajun Shrimp Bisque

January 26, 2012 by Mariel Goodson 16 Comments

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Mariel here. My mom presented luscious-looking Crab Ravioli on Tuesday, so I thought I’d follow suit and whip up my own seafood-inspired treat. While I typically don’t cook cajun anything, I stumbled across this delicious soup on, well, StumbleUpon. That’s the magic of these social bookmarks, they open you up to a whole wide world out there, which is important when you’re a freelance writer and your “whole wide world” typically consists of two small rooms in an apartment.

This was the first time I’d ever visited Bev over at Bev Cooks and this was the only recipe I landed upon, so you could say she’s batting 1,000 when it comes to the read/try ratio. I made several changes to the soup, because that’s what I do, but the recipe is hers through and through. And boy was it tasty.

Bev eschews heavy cream in favor of milk, so the consistency is brothier than a restaurant bisque, but it’s positively packed with flavor, in large part because she urges her followers to make their own seafood stock (it’s easy, don’t worry). While she infused her brew with three whopping tablespoons of hot sauce, I halved that and still found it warmed the cockles of my heart(burn).

This makes for a great weekend lunch or a Mardi Gras-inspired dinner. I don’t know how authentically “cajun” it is, what with me being a New Yorker and all, but I can tell you it’s authentically delicious.

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Cajun Shrimp Bisque
Serves 5
Adapted from Bev Cooks

Ingredients for the Shrimp Stock:
1 pound shrimp shells (save shrimp for bisque) – $7.99
½ large sweet onion, sliced – $0.89
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns – stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt – stock
2 bay leaves – stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil – stock
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley – $0.79
6 cups water – stock

Ingredients for the Bisque:
4 Tablespoons butter – stock
½ large sweet onion, finely diced – calculated above
2 celery stalks, finely diced – $1.99
3 large cloves of garlic, minced – stock
¼-cup dry cooking sherry – stock
2 Tablespoons flour – stock
2 Tablespoons tomato paste – $0.89
2½-3 cups shrimp stock – calculated above
3 cups milk – stock
1 dried bay leaf – stock
1 teaspoon Old Bay – stock
1½ Tablespoons Tabasco or hot sauce – stock
1 pound reserved shrimp, chopped roughly – calculated above
Splash of olive oil – stock
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely diced (optional)
Salt, to taste – stock
Grand total assuming well-stocked kitchen: $12.55
Cost per serving: $2.51

Directions for Shrimp Stock:
1. In a large stockpot, bring the water to a boil and toss in all stock ingredients. Boil over med-high heat for 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half. Strain the stock into a large bowl and discard the solids. Set aside.

Directions for the Bisque:
1. Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat, add the onions, celery and garlic and saute until tender and turning golden, about 10 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for another two minutes.

2. Add the flour and tomato paste to the ingredients in the stock pot and stir well, ensuring everything is coated. Move the pan to a cool burner and turn off the flame.

3. Add the milk and seafood stock to the stockpot ingredients and whisk until well combined. Add the bay leaf, Old Bay, and Tabasco.

4. Return the stockpot to the hot burner and bring to a gentle, rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer and warm for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil over med-high heat and saute the chopped shrimp until pink and opaque.

6. Add the shrimp to the stockpot and simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt/seasoning as necessary (I didn’t need to add more salt, but everyone’s different).

7. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot with crusty bread.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipe Index, Recipes Under $20, Seafood, Soups, Stews & Chilis, Super Sundays Tagged With: cooking, food, mardi gras, recipes, Recipes Under $20, Seafood, Soups, Stews & Chilis

About Mariel Goodson

The daughter in this mother-daughter duo, Mariel is the co-founder of Brass Hill Design and a former magazine writer who has contributed to Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, SELF, Redbook and Good Housekeeping, among many others.

Comments

  1. Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says

    January 26, 2012 at 11:06 am

    LOVE StumbleUpon. It has pointed me in the direction of many great recipes. This one looks spectacular – perfect for a cold winter night!

    Reply
  2. Rhonda says

    January 26, 2012 at 11:54 am

    Another seafood recipe that I have to make…you two are really going to hurt my diet!

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      January 26, 2012 at 12:17 pm

      But this one isn’t sooo-sooo terrible for you. No cream!

      Reply
  3. happyzhangbo-lovingfood says

    January 26, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    It looks and sounds delicious. The bread behind looks amazing too!

    Reply
  4. Sherry says

    January 26, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Oooooooo! looks good but it’s going to be 80 here in Montecito today? maybe next week? Things change fast around here. Best, Sherry

    Reply
  5. Liz says

    January 26, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    This looks fabulous! Perfect mid-winter soup!

    Reply
  6. Megan's Cookin' says

    January 26, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    I would love to sit down to a big bowl of this with that bread. Looks positively delicious!

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      January 26, 2012 at 6:36 pm

      I have big plans for that leftover bread…namely lots o’ french toast

      Reply
  7. agnes lepore aliberto says

    January 26, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    Cajun shrimp bisque sans cream- that’s for me !! Thanks .

    Reply
  8. Mary says

    January 30, 2012 at 11:10 am

    What a perfect light meal. This is my first visit to your blog, so I took some time to browse through your earlier posts. I’m so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you share with your readers and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary

    Reply
  9. Susan says

    October 28, 2014 at 8:42 pm

    I made this for dinner tonight, subbed vermouth for sherry and GF flour for the AP. I like spicy and think your amount of hot sauce was perfect. As mentioned, it’s much less creamy than a typical “bisque,” but I ran mine through the blender at the end and this really helped! Glad I made the stock, as that has always intimidated me 😉 finished with celery salt (salty palate here!)

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:36 am

      So glad you enjoyed this Susan and we love your feedback. From one salt-tooth to another 🙂

      Reply
  10. Todd says

    January 21, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    This is my favorite recipe ever. No joke. I lightly use an immersion blender at the end. I’ve made it 5 times in the last six months or so.

    Reply
    • Mariel Goodson says

      January 30, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      Love to hear that!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Top 10 Delicious Bisque Soup Recipes - Top Inspired says:
    October 19, 2013 at 4:07 am

    […] Recipe and photo credit to feastonthecheap.net […]

    Reply
  2. Mariel here. My mom presented luscious-looking Crab Ravioli on Tuesday, so I tho… says:
    March 6, 2017 at 11:35 am

    […] The Recipe can be found HERE […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

bio5

MEET MARY ANNE & MARIEL:

A mother-daughter duo starring a professional caterer and a fledgling foodie.

Subscribe by Email


Enter your email address:

As Seen In

Archives

Categories

Top Posts

  • Tuscan Sausage Soup with Shell Pasta, Spinach & White Beans
  • Mixed Greens with Walnuts and Dried Cranberries
  • Five-Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Orange Curd Puff Pastry Tartlets
  • Orange-Mango Upside-Down Cake

Pages

  • About Mary Anne and Mariel
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Links
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • StumbleUpon
  • RSS Subscription

Latest Posts

Grilled Watermelon with Goat Cheese and Crispy Pancetta

Slow-Roasted Soy-Glazed Beef with Fresh Tomatoes, Onions & Cilantro

Holiday Wishlist for the Design Obsessed

Copyright © 2023 · Feast on The Cheap · Built By VarickDesign

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.