Sarasotas Best Scallop Bisque Recipes

SEA OF CORTEZ SCALLOP BISQUE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until soft but not brown. Set aside one-third of scallops. Add rest to pan and sauté until opaque but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in vermouth, bring to simmer, and add cream and créme fraîche. Bring to a boil, and season with salt and cayenne. Purée in a blender. Strain through fine sieve and return to a clean saucepan. Keep warm.
• Heat remaining oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add reserved scallops and sauté, turning frequently, 5 to 6 minutes, until starting to brown. Remove from heat.
• To serve, place sautéed scallops in center of 4 shallow soup plates. Reheat bisque and pour around scallops. Scatter pink peppercorns around, and top scallops with a lemon segment.

SEAFOOD BISQUE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add the shrimp, crab and mushrooms. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the wine, salt and pepper; cook 2-3 minutes longer. Top with onions if desired.

SHRIMP BISQUE II

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cup butter and flour. Cook, stirring, until flour taste disappears, about 7 minutes. Stir in seafood stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook shrimp shells and onion in 1/4 cup butter until onion is translucent. Stir in garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook until brown. Stir in brandy and light it on fire. Let it simmer until reduced and thickened. Stir in reserved stock, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh or cheesecloth.
• Return strained mixture to a simmer in the saucepan. Pour in cream.
• Dice shrimp and cook until opaque in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Season with pepper sauce, Worcestershire and Old Bay. Stir in sherry just before serving.

SCALLOP BISQUE

Steps:

• In med saucepan, sauté onion in melted butter until softened.
• Blend flour into butter mixture and gradually add milk, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
• Add salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf and scallops.
• Cook over low heat 15 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and serve.

SARASOTA'S BEST SCALLOP BISQUE

Steps:

• Scallops -- In a large pot on medium heat add the olive oil and then the scallops and saute until slightly sauteed. Literally just 1 minute. Remove and set to the side to let drain.
• Vegetable Base -- Then in the same pot (if necessary you can add a little more olive oil to saute the vegetables, but it should be ok. Then add the shallots, fennel, celery and potato and saute until soft. About 3-4 minutes. Then add in the bay leaf chicken or vegetable broth, clam juice and cook until the vegetables are tender. 20 minutes or so.
• Scallops -- Remove the bay leaf, then add the scallops back in and with an immersion blender or you can use a regular blender, blend the scallops and vegetable mixture until thick, creamy and smooth.
• Finishing -- Add in the fresh thyme, sherry, cream, salt and pepper to taste. Keep on medium low to let it heat up. Now if you like it thinner you can add a little more chicken stock, and if you like it thicker you could make a little "slurry" with corn starch and water to help thicken the soup, but I don't find it necessary. It should be just about perfect.
• Garnish -- My favorite part. I take some nice big sea scallops patted dry and dredge in egg mixed with salt and pepper, and then the bread crumbs. Then in a small non-stick skillet, melt the butter and saute until golden brown on each side. Just 2-3 minutes per side is all it takes. Then I just add 2-3 scallops per wood skewer and add to the bisque. Some chopped chives and a dash of paprika make for a extremely elegant soup. And the fresh sauteed scallops just taste so good with the creamy soup.
• I don't make this for everyday soup, but for a casual or even formal dinner party it is always a show stopper. The soup can easily be made ahead and then reheated. Then just saute your skewered scallops as a garnish and serve. It really is a great soup.