Don't Scrimp on the Shrimp

I love to eat shrimp and sometimes feel bad for everyone out there allergic to the little crustaceans when I'm enjoying them. However, sometimes I make something that makes me forget to feel bad that others can't enjoy what I can.

Today's post is all about that.

I used a recipe for inspiration on this dish; but instead of doing everything they did, I changed it is up a bit. If you know me at all, you know I love to save money anywhere I can. And I think I did pretty well on that in this recipe.

I didn't want to scrimp on the flavour, but I did feel annoyed at the thought of wasting huge shrimp when I would be pureeing them in a bisque.

Here's my recipe.

Let me know if you like it or think it would be worth the extra money (and time) of using large shrimp and making your own shrimp stock with the shells.

Shrimp Bisque (on a budget)

1 1/2 lbs small shelled and precooked shrimp, fresh or defrosted if previously frozen
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, homemade or purchased
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stocks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup white rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot on medium heat and add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until soft, about 15 - 20 minutes.

2. Add rice and tomato paste. Stir to combine.

3. Add chicken stock and oregano. Cook until rice is soft, about 15 - 20 minutes.

4. Chop shrimp to make pureeing easier, reserving a few for garnishing your bowls, and add to the pot.

5. Puree with an immersion blender. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

You may want to run your soup through a sieve to remove any solids, but I liked the texture so I left it as is. And I don't think the thought of less dishes hurt either. :)

6. Ladle bisque into bowls and top with whole shrimp and chopped dill. Enjoy!

You don't need an old pot like mine to make this bisque, but having the reminder of family made me smile as I made it.