The roasted pumpkin salad had got me thinking about using fall ingredients in light spring like meals and the next thing that I was thinking of was a pumpkin soup and I knew exactly which one I was going to make. There was absolutely no way that I could resist trying this pumpkin and shrimp bisque recipe from epicurious; I mean it combined my current obsession, pumpkin, along with one of my all time favourite foods, shrimp! I have a perfect recipe for a shrimp bisque but it is a little bit on the decadent side and this pumpkin and shrimp bisque is nice and light and healthy, comparatively speaking. This recipe starts off by making a shrimp stock and if you are like me, this is exactly the time to pull out those shrimp shells that you have been saving in the freezer for just such an occasion. From there you add the pumpkin puree, a bit of heavy cream and some simple seasonings and you are done. I served the pumpkin and shrimp bisque with a quickly assembled sage gremolata which added an amazing brightness to the bisque and a rocket salad with feta and walnuts rounded out a really nice light fall meal!
Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque
(makes 4 servings)Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped, shells reserved)
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups shrimp stock (or chicken stock or dashi)
1 pinch saffron
1 onion (coarsly chopped)
1 carrot (coarsly chopped)
2 stalks celery (coarsly chopped)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs sage
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 batch sage gremolata (see below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped, shells reserved)
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups shrimp stock (or chicken stock or dashi)
1 pinch saffron
1 onion (coarsly chopped)
1 carrot (coarsly chopped)
2 stalks celery (coarsly chopped)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs sage
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 batch sage gremolata (see below)
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan at medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp shells and cook until they turn pink and then just start to turn brown and fill your kitchen with the aroma of shrimp, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and simmer until it has evaportated, about 4-6 minutes.
4. Add the broth, saffron, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and sage, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
5. Strain the solids from the stock with a fine metal sieve and return the stock to the sauce pan.
6. Mix in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream and cayenne and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
7. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
8. Heat the oil in a pan.
9. Add the shrimp and saute at medium heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
10. Divide the shrimp between 4 bowls, pour the bisque over them and garnish with the sage gremolata.
1. Heat the oil in a pan at medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp shells and cook until they turn pink and then just start to turn brown and fill your kitchen with the aroma of shrimp, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and simmer until it has evaportated, about 4-6 minutes.
4. Add the broth, saffron, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and sage, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
5. Strain the solids from the stock with a fine metal sieve and return the stock to the sauce pan.
6. Mix in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream and cayenne and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
7. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
8. Heat the oil in a pan.
9. Add the shrimp and saute at medium heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
10. Divide the shrimp between 4 bowls, pour the bisque over them and garnish with the sage gremolata.
Sage Gremolata
(makes 1/4 cup)Ingredients:
1/4 cup sage (chopped)
1/2 lemon (zest only)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon pine nuts (toasted)
1/4 cup sage (chopped)
1/2 lemon (zest only)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon pine nuts (toasted)
Directions:
1. Mix everything.
1. Mix everything.
Similar Recipes:
Shrimp Bisque
Thai Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup
Panang Curried Pumpkin and Prawn Soup
Roasted Pumpkin, Pancetta and Sage Soup
