(Recipe pictured on the cover)
Ingredients For Shrimp Stock:
1 lb. shrimp (large, 16 to 20)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¾ c. dry white wine
3 c. homemade or canned low-sodium chicken stock
Pinch of saffron threads (about 24)
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion (about 8 oz.), coarsely chopped
4 bay leaves, fresh, torn, or 2 dried
3 sprigs sage, fresh, about 3-inches each
Preparation of Shrimp Stock:
Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells. Set aside a few with tail on for garnish. Cover shrimp and refrigerate. Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add shrimp shells to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn deep orange and are just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. (This step – pan roasting the shells – gives the stock much of its flavor, so take time to do it carefully.) Add wine to pan. Boil it over medium heat until all liquid evaporates. Add chicken stock, saffron, celery, onion, bay leaves, and sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pushing down on solids with the back of a spoon to extract all liquid. Rinse out saucepan and pour stock back into it.
For Bisque:
2 c. pumpkin purée, fresh or canned
½ c. heavy cream
¾ tsp. salt (less if using canned stock)
⅛ tsp. (or less) cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
Preparation of Bisque:
Whisk pumpkin, cream, salt (omit if using canned stock), and cayenne into shrimp stock. Bring soup to a simmer. Cook very gently, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, taste, and season with black pepper and more salt if needed. (The soup can be made up to this point up to 1 day ahead and stored covered in refrigerator. Keep peeled shrimp in a resealable bag buried in a bowl of ice in refrigerator.)
Final Preparation:
Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan placed over medium heat. When hot, add reserved shrimp and sage and cook, tossing often, until shrimp are just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Shrimp should be pink and no longer translucent, but not curled into a circle. They should still have a tender snap when you bite into them. Arrange shrimp in warmed serving bowls, reserving pieces to garnish top. Bring soup back to a simmer, then ladle it over shrimp. Garnish with bits of fresh sage and a couple plump shrimp.
