Cook's Illustrated

Shrimp Bisque Simplified

Published November 1, 2000.

We take a circus of recipes and come up with a class act that relies on an unusual approach to extract flavor from the shrimp.

The Problem

Shrimp bisque recipes are usually tediously long and complicated, and are rarely worth the effort it takes to prepare them.

The Goal

A simple, rich, faultlessly smooth recipe, full of sweet shrimp flavor. Shrimp bisque should be a rich, blushing pastel-delicate in character but deeply intense-with an almost sweet shrimp essence and an elusive interplay of other flavors that couldn't be identified in a lineup. Its texture must run unfettered and silky over the tongue.

The Solution

Process sautéed shrimp and their shells to a pulp, flambé in a bit of brandy, then add cream, sherry, and spices. Straining through an ultrafine chinois (a conical strainer) results in a perfect bisque, with only two pots to wash.

list of recipes
America's Test Kitchen

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.