Cajun Shrimp Bisque

This is to release the aromatic oils from the spices and to brown the flour-

When it looks like this, slightly brownish, immediately remove from the heat and put into a small bowl-

Then melt the butter in a stockpot and cook the triumvirate until soft, over medium heat-

We had a quart of fish stock in the freezer, which was put to thaw in the morning. Here we’ve added it to the veggies, along with a teaspoon of thyme and one bay leaf-

Bring that to a slow boil and add the toasted flour/spices, making sure to whisk so no clumps form. Reduce heat to simmer, add the minced garlic,  and whisk continuously until it is well dissolved-

Add about a cup of heavy cream and stir in well-

Once the heat evens out, add the clams, catfish and shrimp. (Earlier, once they thawed,  I peeled the shrimp. I couldn’t find peeled raw shrimp at the store, and they are a lot more convenient). Cook this over low heat for about 5 minutes until the clams open and the fish is done. Snip some fresh chives over the bowls and dig in-

The soup was delicious, with a nice deep taste; the spices making it classic Cajun. The clams and catfish clams turned into a meal. Not hot at all, just spicy enough to be right. It had a delicious flavour with a definite “wow” factor.

This was an easy meal that fit in perfectly with our day, and has earned a front place in my personal cookbook binder.

Ingredients

3 TBSP Butter

1 Onion finely chopped

1 Red Pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 Sticks celery, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TSP Dry Mustard

1 TBSP Cayenne

2 TBSP Paprika

3 TBSP Flour

4 Cups Fish Stock

1 TSP Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

8 oz Raw Peeled Shrimp

Salt and pepper

Snipped Chives