Creamy Shrimp and Artichoke Bisque

Now that Spring is about to pop I am loving all the green which is beginning to appear. And this soup reminds me of so much of spring! It contains fresh cilantro which adds a unique flavor while providing the beautiful green color to the bisque which is a lovely contrast to the plump pink shrimp. With each bite you get a lttle shrimp and piece of artichoke on your palette. I also add in a little Old Bay Seasoning to give this bisque a slight hint of heat!

What you will need...

4 Cups vegetable or chicken broth

1-1 1/2 8.5 oz cans of artichoke hearts drained and quartered (you can also use frozen artichoke hearts)

8 green scallions, sliced 

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

12 oz of medium shrimp or 3/4 pound of large shrimp (cut in half)  cleaned and deveined

1 1/2 T butter

1 1/2 T flour

1 cup milk or half-n-half

Old Bay seasoning to taste

What you will need to do...

Bring broth, scallions, artichoke (reserving 2 or three chopped hearts to add in at the end), cilantro and seasoning to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a larger pot, melt butter and then add flour to make a light roux, than add the milk and stir until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the broth mixture is done simmering, remove from heat and let cool slightly. Then add the broth mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until the liquid begins to turn a bright green. Add the green mixture to the roux and heat through. You may have to blend the broth mixture in batches. When done add the shrimp and reserved chopped artichoke, to the liquid and heat through. If you want, sprinkle a little of the chopped cilantro as garnish!

And Enjoy!!!

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