New Orleans Shrimp Bisque

Ingredients
Roux
5 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Bisque
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup green onions, white parts only, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons green onions, green tops, thinly sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons celery, 1/4 inch dice
2 tablespoons parsley, finely minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 bay leaves, broken in half
1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves (dried)
4 whole cloves
1 cup shrimp, peeled, chopped
2 cups seafood stock or clam juice
1 cup shrimp, peeled, whole

Directions

1. heat the bacon fat over low heat and gradually add the flour. Cook to a medium brown roux.
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter and slowly brown the onion and white parts of the green onions, about 15 minutes. the onions must be cooked before the roux is finished.
3. Add the cooked onions as soon as the roux obtains the desired color (color of rich peanut butter),  then add the green onion tops, celery, parsley, garlic, and seasonings and herbs; mix thouroughly, cook 3 minutes.
4. Add the chopped shrimp. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly to keep smooth. Bring the bisque to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 30 minutes or more
5. Add the whole shrimp and simmer 1 minute more.
6. Serve over boiled rice.

Critique
Chef: nice texture, good shine, nice thickness, this soup had a good spice, very tasty

Personal/team: This was very tasty, liked the flavor and texture.

Lessons Learned:  The roux is the key to making the soup get the right texture and flavor. The recipe originally called for more flour than needed and we adjusted the ratio to 50/50 fat and flour. Make the roux in a separate pan than the rest of the soup; this way you can use as much or little of the roux as needed. You can always add more roux near the end if it needs to be thickened.

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