shrimp bisque.

with lovefest right around the corner, i'll be settling in to post on all things lovely and of course, pink for the next couple days.  and for all you anti-valentine's day folks out there, don't worry, this madness will end tuesday.  today's pink post is an awesome recipe for anyone looking for that perfect meal for your sidekick or larger groups.

shrimp bisque is one of our favorites.  the first time i made it, was around this time, five years ago in our old sackets harbor apartment.  i was still in the wifely dinner-making mode of early marriage and wanted to serve something nice for a. after a long day of work.  for someone new to the cooking world, this recipe, while simple- has a lot of steps and can make a serious mess of any kitchen.  

but don't let that sway you.  it's amazing.  and very modifiable (i.e. lower fat, creamier, spicier, etc.).  the recipe comes from barefoot contessa at home (i have never in my life, made a bad meal from this book) and while i prefer my leeks browned & with a bit more cayenne pepper than the recipe calls for, i think it's perfect in every other way.

spoiler alert, i amitiously took photos of the first few step and later got sidetracked the minute i tried prosessing the shrimp & leeks in a very small food processor.  it was much messier than i anticipated (and as stated above, i should have known).  

needless to say, the first attempt at this soup turned out amazingly, and won me some mad diamond-points (because why would you save all your points for brownies?).  we love it & it's been a staple in our home ever since.