Scallop and Flounder Bisque

Bisque. Bisque. Bisk.  What the hell is a bisque? I always thought it was a super fancy soup found only in restaurants, some enigmatic but amazing dish with complex ingredients and techniques.  Turns out bisque is just soup, albeit a slightly thicker soup. Technically, a french soup with a stock made from crustaceans, highly seasoned, thickened by pureeing, and finished with cream. Bisque is a magical soup. It has a warmth that transcends the  simplicity of soup; and a richness that makes it special.

Since I haven't been to the store in several days, I had to create by bisque from ingredients that I had on hand.  Rummaging through the vegetable bin in my refrigerator, I found onion and leek, and a few stalks of celery. On the counter,  a baby butternut squash and a head of garlic. In the freezer, founder fillets and scallops. And in the refrigerator, half and half. A final check in the pantry turned up tomato paste and chicken stock. while not conventional, I ha the makings of a bisk. Bisque. I mean. BISK.  BISQUE. Seriously, it's just a really weird word with a really weird spelling.

In a pan, I added butter, and melted it on the stove. In went dice onion, celery, and leeks, and I sweated them for 10 or so minutes.  Then I added diced butternut squash, and after another 10 minutes, diced garlic.  Then flour, stirring to evenly cook it.  I added chicken stock, and a generous splash (splash? hahahaha, yeah right... ; ) of sherry.  Once the alcohol from the sherry cooked off, I added half and half, and let the whole thing simmer while I made the red cabbage slaw. (Shredded cabbage, a sprinkle of Lawry's, sea salt, vegetable oil, and vinegar, toss to coat). Back to the soup, I blended it using an immersion blender. Not necessary of course, but totally fun. Then, I diced the flounder, and added it and the scallops to the bisque to cook. To make things a little more exciting, I also added a pinch of cayenne, and a few tablespoons of tomato paste. It turned a wonder blushing shade of pink. Blushing Bisque? Seriously pretty, regardless of the goofy alliteration.

The flavor of a bisque is incredible. Creamy, yes, but with a warmth from the tomato paste and the pinch of cayenne. Insanely rich from the butter and cream.  And silky smooth. The seafood gives it a perfume that is reminiscent of the sea.  I think this might be one of my favorite new dishes. Lobster bisque? Yes please!