Suzi's Blog

Shrimp Bisque

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Yes, it’s the same picture as the previous post. But that post only talked about the great shrimp bisque. Here’s the recipe.
This bisque is not just good. It is a head turner. It was one of the first things we made with our new Vitamix blenders. Vitamix? Every had a Jamba Juice where they have the machines that sound like wind tunnels. We have them now. To call them a blender is to call a Porsche an automobile.

There is a step below in the preparation where you do need use a blender. If you don’t have a Vitamix, then you really need to blend away and do the sieving to achieve the velvet texture this recipe deserves.

Naturally, you play with the ingredients to get more tomato flavor or heat. You can adorn the finished bisque with crème fraîche, or sour cream. But I think the first time out, you want to just sample the incredible purity of the bisque flavor. It’s certain to become a favorite of yours. It’s a great for the cold weather that has finally arrived, and its elegance would be perfect for a holiday party.

Shrimp Bisque

Yield: 8 cups, generous for 8 people

Ingredients:

• 1¼ pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shell reserved
• ½ stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 quarts water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• Fresh lemon juice
• Chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

Cook shrimp shells in 1 tablespoon butter in a large stock pot over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add white wine and boil, stirring frequently, until most of liquid is evaporated. Add water and bay leaf and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Pour shrimp stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on shells and then discarding them.
While stock is simmering, cook shrimp with salt to taste in 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy pot over moderated heat, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoon butter to pot, then cook carrots, celery, and onion over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
Stir in rice, tomato paste, cayenne, salt, shrimp stock, and brandy and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside 12 shrimp and stir remainder into bisque.
Purée bisque in batches in a blender, then pour through fine sieve into another pot. Stir in cream and cook over low heat until heated through, do not boil. Stir in lemon juice and salt to taste.
Cut reserved shrimp into ¼-inch dice, then use as part of garnish for bisque.

Source: Gourmet Magazine [may it rest in peace]

Bread & Water + Tomatoes = Gazpacho

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bowl of gazpacho

“Do you hit your wife during the night?” the man asked me.

I hesitated to answer. The question was stark. And, I have always maintained that what happens between me and Suzen in the privacy of our bedroom is, well private.

“No, Doctor, he does not,” Suzen answered.

“Good,” the doctor responded. “That means you do not have Restless Leg Syndrome.”

Apparently, I am “restless” when asleep, and Suzen had joined me at my sleep doctor to trace down the source. I wake Suzen up in the middle of the night, never a good thing to do. But all I do is thrash. I do not bash my wife.

The doctor, who was simply doing his job, proposed a solution and we prepared to leave.

“Are you still trying to lose weight?” the doctor asked.

“Oh, yes,” I said as I bent to grab my bag.

“You are lying,” the doctor said to me.

I jerked up and looked at him. He pointed to Suzen, standing in the hallway with a very righteous look on her face.

“Your wife told me the truth,” the doctor said reproachfully.

Ratted out by my wife. Was I depressed at her faithlessness? No, I was damn angry. She thinks I’m restless in bed? Wait until tonight, baby. Your ass will be on the floor by midnight. That’s what rushed through my head.

No, wait. They are right. I need to drop a few. Okay, several. But it’s not my fault. Someone has to test brownies and my metabolism is way, way too efficient. I can’t burn enough calories.

So, I’m exercising like mad. And going on a restricted diet. Not bread and water. But close. Thank God for gazpacho. Wonderful, classic gazpacho.

Lydie Marshall has written a perfectly diverse collection of soup ideas in Soup of the Day. She presents two contrasting gazpacho recipes, and this one represents the very pure and simple style: tomatoes, garlic, and bread that has been soaked in water. This recipe, Melchior’s Gazpacho, is named for its creator, a Barcelona native. What we have here is authenticity.

I’m a fan of gazpacho and sample new recipes all the time. The variety of gazpacho flavors, styles, and textures is just a delight. I particularly love the distinct pale orange color that is achieved when white bread is combined with red tomatoes.

This gazpacho is not the chunky type you may have tasted. It’s immaculately thin, because the only veggie being used is the tomatoes and a food processor is used to liquefy the wet bread and the whole thing is sieved. You are left with this delightfully delicate liquid that can be adorned with toppings to extend flavor and give body.

Lydie suggests diced onions, bell peppers, cucumber and hard-boiled eggs for toppings. Plus, of course, croutons. [See yesterday’s blog for perfect homemade croutons!]. I added some options in the list of ingredients below.

I used the croutons, and the cucumber, but I added in sliced hot green peppers and some ripe avocado.

The brightness of all the additive flavors always makes gazpacho a surprising treat. The fact that gazpacho is healthy, too, is a bonus you can relish. You can retire to bed at night with no sense of guilt. You are free, of course, to thrash a bit in celebration. Just don’t hit the person next to you.

Melchior’s Gazpacho

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

The Soup Itself:

  • 4 pounds very ripe tomatoes
  • 2 cups loosely packed bread, from the doughy part of the bread, not the crust
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and pureed
  • 4 tablespoons, red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt or more
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Options for Topping the Soup:

  • Diced tomato
  • Slice or diced onion
  • Sliced avocado
  • Sliced scallions
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Sliced hot peppers
  • Sliced bell peppers
  • Dice hard-boiled eggs
  • Croutons, freshly made

Preparation:

Dice and reserve 1 tomato for garnish.

Soak the remaining tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain, peel, and chop.

Soak the bread in water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water and mix the bread with the tomatoes.

Puree the tomatoes, bread and garlic in a food processor until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the tomato seeds [and any tomato pulp].

Whisk in the 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, then drizzle the olive oil in the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and stir the gazpacho. Refrigerate.

Just before serving, prepare the croutons.

To serve, taste the soup and correct the seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add ice cubes to thin it out. Pour the soup into chilled soup bowl or plates.

Serve the adornments in side bowls and allow each guest to add as they wish.

Source: Soup of the Day by Lydie Marshall