6 people
SOUP
Ina Garten At Home (p. 52)
Shrimp - 1 lb
Seafood stock - 32 oz
All-purpose flour - 1⁄4 cup
Tomato paste - 1⁄3 cup
Cayenne pepper - 1⁄8 tsp
Leeks - 3
Garlic - 3 cloves
Brandy or cognac - 1⁄4 cup
Dry sherry - 1⁄4 cup
Unsalted butter - 1⁄2 stick
Half-and-half - 2 cups
Shrimp - peel and devein but reserve shells
Leeks - clean and chop white and light green parts to yield 2 cups
Garlic - chop to yield 1 tbl
Place the shrimp shells and seafood stock in a suacepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock. Add enough water to make 3 3⁄4 cups.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tbl olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and cook them for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the leeks are tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and shrimp and cook over medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Brandy or Cognac and cook for 1 minute, then the sherry and cook for 3 minutes longer. Transfer the shrimp and leeks to a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or blender, and process until coarsley pureed.
In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat for one minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the half-and-half and cook, stirring with a whisk, until thickened about 3 minutes. Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, the tomato paste, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Season to taste and serve hot.