Shrimp Bisque

 This past weekend was pretty fabulous.  The weather was wonderful (still hot, but wonderful) and we spent Saturday and Sunday morning walking and flying a kite on Tybee Island, which is the beach we live about ten minutes away from.  Just an all around great time with the family!  All that time on the beach had my husband and I craving something seafood-y and I have been dying to try the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for shrimp bisque.  But, before I go any further, I just had to share a couple of pictures of my cute family (shameless, I know!). 

 Max Monster heading straight for the water...he's such a beach baby!

Love that my kids love the beach...

 Julesy-Bean...such a cheeser

 Go Jules ~ flying her kite! 

What a great way to end such a fun weekend, with a fantastic dinner.  The weather actually started to turn just yesterday ~ you could feel the humidity leaving and we just knew it was going to start to be a little cooler (thank goodness!  I mean one person can only take so much).  This recipe was just the perfect way to introduce fall ~ warm and creamy and so flavorful.  I faked out seafood stock by simmering some shrimp tales in chicken broth, but you can also follow Ina's recipe exact by using seafood stock (she has a recipe to make homemade as well).  This was even better the next day for lunch.

I love that Ina recognizes in her cookbook that bisques are not typically simple to make...that they require a million steps.  She simplifies it for us already, which is honestly why I was able to make this rich and delicious soup in no time at all.  

Shrimp cooking away with green onions, garlic and sherry.  Looking good already... 

 Serves 4-6 

Shrimp Bisque

1 pound shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined (shells and/or tails reserved)

4 cups chicken stock 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped green onions (both green and white parts)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup dry sherry

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half

1/3 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place the shrimp shells and chicken stock in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain and reserve the stock.  Add enough water to make 3 3/4 cups.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.  Add the green onions and cook over medium-low heat until they are tender but not browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the cayenne pepper and shrimp and cook over medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the sherry and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes longer.  Transfer the shrimp and onions to a food processor and process until coarsely pureed.  

In the same pot, melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Add the half-and-half and cook, stirring with a whisk, until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, tomato paste, salt and pepper and heat gently until hot but not boiling.  Serve hot with a French baguette and some garlic butter croutons.  

(Source: Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home)

Shrimp Tacos with Corn and Avocado Salsa

 This meal is the like the epitome of summer time meals.  In fact, when the weather turns warm, this is one of the first meals we crave.  It's my husband's favorite dinner and he will request it for special occasions (actually he had me make this on Father's Day for him!), but I love it just as much and so does our toddler.  And great for me, because there's really nothing to it.
  

So this is the really easy (but just as delicious) way to make these tacos, but I'm also going to give you a couple of hints on how you can go above and beyond if you have the time.  Like using fresh corn and grilling it before making the salsa.  If I had the time, I would do this every time - grilled corn is fabulous!!  I have another amazing recipe for grilled corn that involves lots of butter, lime and chili powder, but that's for another day...soon, I promise!!

P.S. These are amazing with my Light and Easy Margaritas!

Makes 2-4 servings

Shrimp Tacos with Corn and Avocado Salsa

Salsa

1 Roma tomato 

1 can whole kernel corn (or 4 ears of fresh corn, shucked)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno (I used jalapenos from a jar but you can use 1 small jalapeno if you want to use fresh)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 avocado, diced

Shrimp

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon spicy McCormick grill seasoning

8 flour tortillas

1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese 

To make the salsa:  Cut tomato, remove seeds and dice.  In a medium bowl, combine tomato, drained corn (or corn cut from the grilled corn cob), lime juice, jalapeno, olive oil, cumin and salt.  Fold in avocado.

To make the shrimp:  Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.  Saute over medium high heat until shrimp turns pink, 3-5 minutes (or place on skewers and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side).  

While shrimp is cooking, place tortillas between 2 damp paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds to warm.  

Assemble tacos with tortillas, shrimp, corn salsa and cheese.

                        

Coconut Shrimp

I love me some shrimp.  Any which way...steamed, fried, roasted, in pasta, you name it, I'll eat it!  Like Elaine on Seinfeld, who said, "I love shrimp.  I'm a shrimp eater.  You put shrimp in front of me and I'll eat it until my stomach pops!"  Don't you feel like anything you do in your daily life can be referenced back to Seinfeld?  I don't know, maybe it's just my family...

Anyway, these coconut shrimp are just amazing...sweet and crunchy and the perfect size to just pop into your mouth.  This took absolutely no time to prepare or make.  I mean, shrimp literally take minutes to cook, any which way you make them.  I served mine with a sweet chili sauce, right out of the bottle.  It added a little more sweetness and some spice, which was just perfect.

Serves 4

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on or off)

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs

4 cups vegetable oil 

In a large, deep pan, heat oil between medium and medium high heat until the temperature reaches 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, combine the coconut and panko in a shallow bowl and the beat the eggs in another shallow bowl.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper.  

Dip each shrimp in egg and shake off excess before dipping into coconut mixture.  Set aside.  When oil reaches 350 degrees, fry shrimp in batches (about half at a time) for 2-4 minutes until they are golden brown.  Use a slotted spoon to remove shrimp from oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Bring the oil temperature back up to 350 degrees and fry remaining shrimp.  Serve with Sweet Chili Sauce.