Shrimp Bisque with Shrimp Boulettes

OK. This is a bit labor intensive, but what the heck?? (h*ll) Do you want awesome, or Mickey D's??? This is a request from one of the cutest, funniest people on the planet. She also happens to be smart as a whip and have an adorable family. Carol, this is for you! Emeril helped me......

SHRIMP BISQUE WITH SHRIMP BOULETTES

( Named after my 2nd husband ;) )

Feeds 8

You hafta make your shrimp stock for this bisque. There is no getting around it. Just get a bottle of wine, settle in, and do it. Folks are gonna be kissin' your behind, so enjoy every minute of it. You'll need:

2 tbsps unsalted butter. ( Hell, use the salted. Who cares?)
1 cup roughly chopped onions
2 roughly chopped carrots
2 stalks roughly chopped celery
2 lrg cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1/2 tspn salt
a few black peppercorns
1-1 1/2 lbs medium shrimp,peeled, deveined. Put the meat aside and throw the shells and the heads in the pot.
1/2 cup white wine ( if you wouldn't drink it, don't use it)
8 cups water

To make the stock melt the butter over high heat. Add everything else except the shells and stir for 3 -5 minutes. Have a glass of wine. Add the shells and the heads and stir until golden about 3-5 minutes more. Add the wine and bring to a boil and cook until almost evaporated. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes and remove any foam that comes to the surface. Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the shrimp shells to extract as much liquid as possible. Throw the shells and other stuff away.

Now, you are gonna make your Bisque. Have another glass of wine, and get this stuff together:

2 tbspns butter
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn cayenne (AAAAA YYYEEEEEE!!!)
1/2 tspn chopped garlic
2 tbspns tomato paste
1/2 cup cognac or brandy ( Sample it first!)
4 cups of your awesome shrimp stock
1 1/2 tspns fresh tarragon
1/2 tspn chopped fresh thyme
1/2 - 1 lb of shrimp reserved from the stock recipe
3/4 cup heavy cream ( Yeah, Baby!)
2 tspns fresh lemon juice

In a large pot melt your butter over medium high heat. Add your veggies, salt and cayenne, and stir for 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and cook until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

Add the cognac or brandy and cook until almost evaprated. make sure you didn't drink too much of it. Add shrimp stock, tarragon, and thyme and cook for 20 minutes , or so. Remove from the heat and puree with a boat motor ( hand held immersion blender, for you Yankees), or you can put it in a food processer, or blender in batches.

Return to the pot and add the shrimp, cream and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the flavors "marry". Hell, have a ceremony if you want to. This is some dam fine stuff.

Adjust your seasoning to taste. Now........make the boulettes.

SHRIMP BOULETTES

1/2 lb of shrimp reserved from the stock recipe
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tbspn chopped celery
1 tbspn chopped bell pepper
2 tspns minced garlic
2 tspns minced parsley leaves
2 tspns Creole mustard
2 tbspns Parmigiano-Reggianno cheese grated
2 tbspns water
Couple of dashes of Tabasco
Coupple dashes of Worcestershire
1/4 tspn salt
Dash of cayenne
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1/2 cup white bread crumbs
Creole or Cajun Seasoning
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbspn water to make egg wash
1/4 cup unbleached flour

In a food processor combine the shrimp, rice,celery, onion,bell pepper, garlic, parsley, mustard, cheese, water, tabasco, worcestershire, salt and cayenne. Process until smooth and sticky, about 1 minute.

Divide it into 8 equal balls. Heat 4 inches of oil in a pot or fryer. Get it to 360 degrees. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and 1 tspn or so of Creole seasoning. In another bowl combine the egg wash and another tspn. of Creole/Cajun seasoning. Dredge each ball in first the flour mixture, then the egg wash, and then dredge in bread crumbs to coat evenly. Fry the balls in batches until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with more Cajun seasoning.

Put a couple of boulettes in a large bowl and ladle bisque on top. Have another glass of wine because you deserve it.

Happy Mardi Gras!!!!!