MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IN THE SOUTH, A SEAFOOD
bisque bears no more resemblance to the silky smooth French dish than a soufflé imitates the fluffy wonders associated with that name. (Virtually any baked casserole dish that contains eggs can be called a soufflé.) Even in Charleston and New Orleans (where crawfish bisque is thought to be the ultimate test of a great cook), few chefs today bother to make a rich shrimp, crawfish, crabmeat, or lobster stock, grind the shellfish, temper egg yolks, and carry out the other procedures necessary to produce an authentic bisque. And in Wilmington, North Carolina, a shrimp bisque such as this one is so foreign to the original concept that it’s really more a chowder than a bisque. No
matter what Tarheels in the area choose to call it, however, the soup is one of the most unusual and delectable you’ll find anywhere in the South, a perfect prelude to any dinner that features roasted meat or fowl as the main course.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 4 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
• Pinch of powdered fennel
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
2. Add the finely chopped onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
3. Add the diced potatoes and water to the saucepan.
4. Increase the heat to moderate and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and grated cheddar cheese over low heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted.
6. Add the cheese mixture to the onions and potatoes in the large saucepan and stir well.
7. Add the finely chopped shrimp, powdered fennel, salt, pepper, and dry sherry to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
8. Simmer the bisque gently over moderately low heat for 10 minutes.
9. To serve, sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the bottom of each soup bowl.
10. Fill each soup bowl with the shrimp bisque.

NOTE

• Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired.