You are currently browsing the daily archive for October 19, 2009.
Sorry I’m late today. This is a rather unsatisfactory post all around, actually.
First, there’s camera drama. My friend Dave has my camera but doesn’t think he does. I left it there on Thanksgiving, when I cooked him (and 14 other people) a goose. So, still no pictures, although D. says she can help me find one somewhere. [Done! - D.]
Then, well, there was the bisque itself. I was excited to make bisque. I’ve had it numerous times in restaurants, and I thought I would like making it. I adapted the lobster bisque recipe from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook. Bourdain has never led me wrong before; therefore I must claim credit for this miss.
First, I sauteed shrimp, in their shells, all chopped up. I had some extra shrimp shells in the freezer so I threw those in for good measure. “That stinks,” J. said. I had to agree, but I was hopeful. Then I threw in some chopped celery, garlic and onion. The extreme fish-shell aroma receded, to be replaced by a pleasant, shrimpy aroma. About then D. called. We discussed camera drama. While we were on the phone, I added some tomato paste and brandy. Things were definitely looking up.
Then I stirred in some water and a bouquet garnit and let the whole thing simmer for about 45 minutes. The shrimp-shell smell was rather strong, but I plowed on ahead. Following Bourdain’s instructions, I ground up the shrimp, shell and all, in my food processor, put it back in the pot with some cream (diluted with milk – maybe that was my mistake?) and cooked for another half an hour. I strained the whole mess through a seive, pressing hard on the solids. I re-heated it, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served. It was a pleasant, orangy-shrimpy colour. It sort of stunk.
image courtesy 46137 / Flickr- some rights reserved
We each took precisely one bite.
“It just tastes like shrimp shells,” J. said, “I want to like it, after all the work you put in.” I had to agree. A definite miss.
Maybe it was the gorgeous lemongrass chicken, served with a green papapya and mango salad, that J. and I were whipping up on the side. Every bite a revelation of hot, sour, salty, sweet, and fresh.Of course sauteed shrimp shells couldn’t stand up.
In the end, it was an amazing dinner.
E.
