Seafood Bisque

We celebrated my daughter's birthday this past weekend with a seafood feast. All sorts of wonderful seafood (mostly from the Gulf!) made its way to the table. This recipe is from Williams Sonoma Seafood cookbook. Such delicate flavor and creamy goodness. The recipe calls for fish or shrimp stock, but if that's not available to you, substitute bottled clam juice or combine that with some chicken stock. 

7 T. unsalted butter

3 shallots, minced

6 oz. cooked cocktail shrimp

6 oz. bay scallops

6 oz. fresh lump crab meat, picked over for shell fragments (or frozen crabmeat, drained)

1/4 cup sherry or Marsala

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 dry white vermouth or wine

4 cups fish or shrimp stock

2 cups half and half

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

minced fresh tarragon for garnish

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 T. of the butter. Add the shallots and saute' until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat and saute' just until the scallops begin to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.  Add the sherry and saute' for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a separate saucepan over medium low heat, melt the remaining 4 T. butter. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 - 3 minutes; do not let the mixture color. Gradually whisk in the vermouth and stock, then the half and half. 

Simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 15 minutes to develop the flavor and thicken slightly. Stir in the shellfish mixture and cook just to heat through, 1 - 2 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into warmed bowls and garnish each with a little of the tarragon.