The Starving Artist : Shrimp and Corn Bisque

:: Storytelling and copulation are the two chief forms of amusement in the South. They are inexpensive and easy to procure. ::  Robert Penn Warren

You know it's going to be a good day when the story begins with copulation! In this time of COVID19, one of the things I miss the most is cooking for my friends. We can't have relations come over, conversations that go all the way, or fool around in the same ways. Dgummit, this is a serious time y'all!

In Southern literature you know there has to be at least one mouthwatering food scene. Southerner's dream of fried chicken, green beans with bacon drippings, and buttered biscuits overwhelmed by Steen's pure sugar cane syrup. As a Southern daughter of New Orleans, I dream of gumbo, seafood, and butter.

BENNÉ’S SHRIMP AND CORN BISQUE
Servings : 4

Ingredients 

•  3 Medium Red Potatoes peeled
  
  
• 2 thick slices of Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 stalk of Celery
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 1 1/2 ears of Corn
• 1/2 lb of Medium-sized Shrimp
• 1/4 of a Large White Onion
• 1 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup of Milk or my favorite, Half & Half
• 3 Tbs of Olive Oil
• 1 pat of butter (I'm on a diet!)
• 2 Bay Leaf 
• 1/4 Tsp of Celery Seed
• 1/4 Tsp of Salt
• 1/4 Tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
•  1/4 Tsp of Dried Oregano
• 1/4 Tsp of Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp of Mustard Seed
• 1/4 Cup of White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 Can of Tomato Paste

You will need to boil the corn with the following spices:

• 1 Bay Leaf 
• 1/4 Tsp of Celery Seed
• 1/4 Tsp of Salt
• 1/4 Tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
•  1/4 Tsp of Dried Oregano
• 1/4 Tsp of Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp of Mustard Seed
• 1/4 Tsp of Corriander Seed
• 2 Tbs of Olive Oil 
• 1/4 Cup of White Wine Vinegar

Preparing the Corn

I'm a bit lazy so I don't grind up all the spices. Put all the spices in a bowl and let it sit for about 15 minutes. This combination is classic to pickling spices used for a classic crab boil. Fill a Dutch Oven (6 Qrts +) with 3 Qrts of water - a little less than the halfway mark. Get that water boiling, y'all!  Add the spices and corn to the boiling water and let cook for about 10 minutes. Once the corn is done take a knife to remove the kernels from the cob. RESERVE 1 Cup of the liquid.

Preparing the Vegetables

While the spices are infusing and the water is boiling, chop the vegetables into small chunks. Add 1 Tbs of Olive Oil and the pat of butter to a saucepan on low heat. The combination of these two will prevent either from burning. Add the corn to the other vegetables and mix well. Add all to the saucepan, stir and sauté for 15 minutes. Save the pan and any drippings for the Shrimp.

All Together Now

On low heat, transfer the vegetables to the Dutch Oven and add the reserve 1 cup of liquid from the pickling

spices for the corn, 1 cup of chicken broth, and 1 cup of water. Allow cooking on a low heat for 1 hour. Begin the sauté process for the Shrimp - warm up the pan and on high heat flash the shrimp until pink and slightly browned. With as little liquid as possible, put half of the vegetables, 1/4 can of Tomato Paste and half of the shrimp into a food processor. I use a Bella so it takes about 2 fillings to blend into a creamy mixture. You can also use a Bullet or blender. Place the creamy mixture back into the Dutch Oven and mix. Reheat on low for 15 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish each bowl with the remaining shrimp and a few snippets of green onions. 

Now, that's good eating!

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