Seafood bisque

Here’s a rich and creamy Seafood Bisque recipe that’s full of flavor and elegant enough for a special dinner, but easy enough to make at home:

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Seafood Bisque

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

For the Seafood:

• 1/2 lb (225 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lb (225 g) scallops or firm white fish, chopped
• 1/2 lb (225 g) crab meat or lobster meat

For the Bisque Base:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups seafood stock (or fish/chicken stock)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Creaminess:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or cornstarch slurry for gluten-free)

Optional Garnish:

• Chopped fresh parsley
• A drizzle of cream

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Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables:
   • In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
   • Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
   • Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Build the flavor:
   • Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes.
   • Add white wine and simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
3. Add stock & simmer:
   • Pour in seafood stock and season with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
   • Bring to a gentle simmer for 15–20 minutes to develop flavor.
4. Blend the bisque:
   • Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree until smooth.
   • Return to the pot over low heat.
5. Add cream & thicken:
   • Mix flour with a little cream to make a slurry, then stir into the bisque.
   • Stir in remaining cream and cook 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Add seafood:
   • Gently add shrimp, scallops/fish, and crab or lobster. Cook 3–5 minutes until seafood is just cooked through.
7. Serve:
   • Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley and a drizzle of cream. Serve hot with crusty bread.

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💡 Tips:

• For deeper flavor, use the shells from shrimp or lobster to make a quick homemade stock before starting.
• For a luxurious touch, add a splash of sherry or brandy when adding the stock.
• You can make this bisque ahead of time; just add the seafood at the last minute when reheating.

If you want, I can give a quick stovetop 30-minute seafood bisque version that’s creamy and full of flavor without needing to make stock from scratch. Do you want that version?

Here’s a rich and creamy Seafood Bisque recipe that’s full of flavor and elegant enough for a special dinner, but easy enough to make at home:

---

Seafood Bisque

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

For the Seafood:

• 1/2 lb (225 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lb (225 g) scallops or firm white fish, chopped
• 1/2 lb (225 g) crab meat or lobster meat

For the Bisque Base:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups seafood stock (or fish/chicken stock)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Creaminess:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or cornstarch slurry for gluten-free)

Optional Garnish:

• Chopped fresh parsley
• A drizzle of cream

---

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables:
   • In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
   • Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
   • Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Build the flavor:
   • Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes.
   • Add white wine and simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
3. Add stock & simmer:
   • Pour in seafood stock and season with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
   • Bring to a gentle simmer for 15–20 minutes to develop flavor.
4. Blend the bisque:
   • Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree until smooth.
   • Return to the pot over low heat.
5. Add cream & thicken:
   • Mix flour with a little cream to make a slurry, then stir into the bisque.
   • Stir in remaining cream and cook 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Add seafood:
   • Gently add shrimp, scallops/fish, and crab or lobster. Cook 3–5 minutes until seafood is just cooked through.
7. Serve:
   • Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley and a drizzle of cream. Serve hot with crusty bread.

---

💡 Tips:

• For deeper flavor, use the shells from shrimp or lobster to make a quick homemade stock before starting.
• For a luxurious touch, add a splash of sherry or brandy when adding the stock.
• You can make this bisque ahead of time; just add the seafood at the last minute when reheating.

If you want, I can give a quick stovetop 30-minute seafood bisque version that’s creamy and full of flavor without needing to make stock from scratch. Do you want that version?