Roasted Red Pepper and Shrimp Bisque

My family is heading out for a fabulous two week vacation. I’ve invited some of my favorite bloggers to share guest posts with you while I’m gone. The following recipe is being shared by Kresha of Nourishing Joy. Thank you, Kresha!

Bell peppers take me to a happy place.

Whether it’s stuffed bell peppers, Greek salad, bell pepper breakfast baskets, pizza with peppers, gazpacho, or a healthy dose of my sister’s secret stash of smoked paprika added to pretty much anything, somehow I always hear myself letting out a little contented sigh whenever I’ve taken a capsicum-laden bite.

This bisque, therefore, was born out of love.

And surprisingly, this soup is more practical than it is indulgence, as it provides needed nutrients and healthy fats, especially for those who are trying to conceive, pregnant moms, young children, and for anyone who feels exhausted much of the time.

The shrimp – when they’re wild and sustainably caught – offer significant doses of selenium, iodine, Vitamin B12, and the anti-oxidant astaxanthin. (source)

The peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and multiple cancer-fighting caretenoids. Did you know that red bell peppers have nearly twice as much Vitamin C as the average orange? (source)

And of course, the butter and cream make us feel good and nourish us deeply.

So eat heartily and be nourished in body and soul!

Roasted Red Pepper and Shrimp Bisque

This recipe is featured in Nourishing Joy’s FREE Whole Food Family Favorites cookbook. Sign up for our updates to get your copy.

The Players:

• 2-3 large red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons pastured butter (where to find grass-fed butter)
• 1 pound raw shrimp, wild-caught, shells removed (where to find sustainably caught shrimp)
• 1/2 cup tomato paste (see how to make tomato paste from scratch)
• 2-4 cups chicken stock or shrimp stock (see how to make easy chicken stock and shrimp stock)
• Pinch unrefined sea salt
• a few tablespoons of whipping cream, preferably raw
• sour cream (optional), for garnish
• 5-6 strips of bacon, crumbled (optional), for garnish
• whole basil leaves (optional), for garnish

The How-To:

First, roast the peppers.

To roast on a grill: Slice peppers into thick strips, then sear on a grill over medium-high heat. Flip strips once to sear on both sides. Leave strips on the grill for 15-20 minutes until softened and slightly blackened.

To roast in the oven: Cut pepper into halves or quarters, then place on a baking sheet and place in a 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until softened and slightly blackened, flipping once during roasting.

After the peppers are roasted and cool enough to handle, remove skins if desired. (This will keep the bisque from being flecked with black char.) Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shrimp until thoroughly cooked through and liquid is mostly evaporated. Add tomato paste and sea salt and cook for a minute or two.

Place bell peppers in a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Add the shrimp mixture and process until finely pureed. While the machine is running, slowly add two cups of stock and process until smooth.

To serve, heat bisque over medium heat, whisking in more stock if a thinner consistency is desired. Finish with a few tablespoons of cream and top with a dollop of sour cream, a few crumbles of bacon, and basil leaves, as desired.

Meet Kresha

Kresha Faber is the primary writer and blog editor at NourishingJoy.com. She is the mother of three young children, the wife of one incredibly good man, an opera singer, a cloth diapering instructor, and an avid researcher. She and her husband share a passion for living life thoughtfully and intentionally in response to God’s grace in their lives and she loves to share good meals (and good wine) around a very large table.