Butternut Shrimp Bisque

I must tell you where I ate this soup for the first time, and where I eat it every time I visit New Orleans for at least one night--Brigtsen's Restaurant (no, I did not forget the "h"). Frank Brigtsen is a well-known New Orleans chef and was one who served free meals to hundreds of people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His recipe is posted on the Brigtsen's website. Following the recipe at this site will give you his fabulous cream soup.

I must say, however, that I tinkered with his recipe for our Thanksgiving meal. Instead of dicing butternut squash, I baked the squash (cut in half lengthwise, placed cut side down on a baking sheet, and cooked at 350 degrees until tender), scooped out the cooked squash, and mashed it with a pastry blender. I added the squash to the onions and bay leaf, just as the recipe required. The only other change I made was increasing the amount of shrimp stock while reducing the amount of cream used to finish the soup. I wanted a stronger shrimp flavor in the soup, so I added the stock using the "taste and see" method to find the balance I wanted. By the time I finished adding the stock, I only needed a small amount of cream (actually Fat-free Half & Half--whatever that is). In the end, the bisque was delicioso!

I know this wasn't much of a recipe, but it is the best I can do with the changes I made. I think I will try something different the next time I make the soup. I'm thinking about carmelizing the onions and butternut squash in the oven, with olive oil and bay leaf. If it works out well, I'll add the info to this recipe.