Creamy Cajun Seafood Soup (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Base

01 - ½ pound bacon, chopped into small pieces
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
03 - ½ bell pepper, any color, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
04 - 2 stalks celery, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - ¼ cup sherry cooking wine

→ For the Roux

07 - 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick, or ½ cup)
08 - ½ cup all-purpose flour

→ For the Soup

09 - 4 cups shrimp stock (or chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock)
10 - 1 ½ cups water
11 - 1 ½ pounds medium raw shrimp (41/50 or similar size), peeled and deveined
12 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
13 - 4 ears of corn (2-3 cups of kernels)
14 - 2 cups heavy cream, warmed
15 - Salt, black pepper, or Cajun seasoning to taste

→ For Garnish

16 - 2-4 green onions, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
17 - 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

# Instructions:

01 - Finely chop the onion, bell pepper, celery, green onions, and parsley. Mince the garlic. Remove corn kernels from the cob. Chop bacon into small pieces. Peel and devein shrimp if not already done. Pat shrimp dry and season evenly with Cajun seasoning. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. Measure out other ingredients for efficient cooking.
02 - Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook for about 8 minutes until bacon is starting to crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease, leaving enough to sauté the vegetables.
03 - Turn heat to medium-low and add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot with the bacon. Sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables are softening. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute while stirring, being careful not to burn the garlic.
04 - Add the sherry cooking wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot. These bits add tremendous flavor to the bisque. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off.
05 - Add the butter to the pot and let it melt completely. Once melted, sprinkle the flour over the bacon and vegetable mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, while continuously stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the flour has slightly darkened. The mixture will look thick and clumpy, which is exactly what you want for a proper roux.
06 - Slowly whisk in the shrimp stock, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and there are no lumps of flour. Add the additional 1½ cups of water and mix well. Stir in half of the chopped parsley and half of the chopped green onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Occasionally skim off any fat or foam that rises to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
07 - Add the Cajun-seasoned raw shrimp, corn kernels, and warmed heavy cream to the pot. Stir in the remaining parsley and green onions (or reserve some for garnishing each serving if preferred). Bring the soup back up to a gentle simmer, then cook for about 5 minutes until the shrimp are fully cooked through and pink.
08 - Taste the bisque and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt, black pepper, or Cajun seasoning to achieve your desired flavor profile.
09 - Ladle the hot bisque into bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with additional chopped parsley and green onions for a fresh pop of color and flavor.

# Notes:

01 - This rich and creamy Louisiana-style shrimp and corn bisque combines the flavors of succulent shrimp, sweet corn, and aromatic vegetables in a velvety soup base.
02 - For the best flavor, make homemade shrimp stock using the shells from the shrimp. Simply simmer the shells in water with some aromatics (onion, celery, bay leaf) for about 30 minutes, then strain.
03 - If buying head-on shrimp, get 2 pounds to account for the weight of the heads and shells that will be removed.
04 - The bisque can be made ahead through step 6 (the simmering step), then cooled and refrigerated. On the day of serving, reheat the soup and proceed with adding the corn, raw shrimp, and cream. This prevents the shrimp from becoming rubbery when reheated.
05 - Leftover bisque can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. When reheating, do so gently without boiling to prevent the cream from separating and the shrimp from overcooking.

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