Finally...a decent Hot Cocoa mix

 Being diabetic, I rarely get to savor some of my favorite things. A cup of cocoa or a shot of cocoa to my coffee sometimes makes the day bearable. I’ve tried a few mixes and concoctions I have not cared much for. This time I think I found the right recipe that hit the right notes and I subbed the sugar with a Stevia. 

This mix will make about 9 cups and last a few months in a sealed jar.

1/2 c sugar or Stevia

1/2 c cocoa I use Hershey Special Dark

3 ounces of chopped semi sweet chocolate I used Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate

1 teaspoon of  cornstarch 

1/2 t vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

I also added a bit of Cayenne pepper

Give this a whir in the food processor till a fine powder. 3 tablespoons in a cup of steaming milk, a dollop of whipped cream and you’re ready to rock. 

Lamb and Chickpea Curry

 

  Lamb and Chickpea Curry

by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder (not tied), gristle and fat removed, and 1-inch diced 1/4 cup Madras curry powder

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon roughly minced fresh rosemary leaves 1 teaspoon roughly minced fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock, both preferably homemade 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup tomato paste (6 ounces)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons harissa

1 cup (3/4-inch-diced) carrots (4 carrots)

1 cup (3/4-inch-diced) celery (2 large stalks)

1/2 cup golden raisins

 

 4 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained (45 ounces) Steamed basmati rice, for serving

Plain whole milk Greek yogurt, for serving

Whole fresh parsley or cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions:Place the cubed lamb in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the curry powder, paprika, cumin, rosemary, thyme, fennel, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the seasonings to the lamb, toss well to coat, and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large (11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Raise the heat to medium high, add the lamb and all the seasonings in the bowl, and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is evenly browned. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, wine, tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, and harissa. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots, celery, raisins, chickpeas, and 2 teaspoons salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for another 30 minutes. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the rice, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkling of parsley.

Cooks note:  I added a few chopped chick thighs to the marinade with the lamb to up the protein. My lovely bride does not care for lamb but this dish really made it very palatable and delicious. I added only one can of beans but 2 would be great also. Great dish with a little heat. Add a squeeze of lime and sprinkle of Cilantro to finish. I know Ina does not care for Cilantro but it really makes the dish. Yum! 

"Cook Like a Pro" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2018. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

https://food-network.app.link/Ta970jHvbcb

 

Soup du Jour...Chicken, Sausage and Cannellini Bean

 We had a pizza last Friday and half the cooked sausage I topped the pizza with haunted me in the fridge. I picked up a few key ingredients at the market today and assembled a great, hearty soup/stew for dinner tonight. 

6 oz cooked Hot Italian Sausage

4 chicken thighs, skin and bone

2 T olive oil

1 medium onion

2 stalks of celery

2 cubed carrots

2 cloves garlic minced

1 carton chicken stock

1 tin of Fire Roasted tomatoes 

1 tin of Cannellini Beans, drained

2 handfuls fresh spinach

2 bay leaves

1 tsp Thyme

1 tbls Italian seasoning

Shredded Parmesan for garnish. 

In a 5 Quart Dutch oven....Cut the sausage into bite size chunks. Sauté till cooked thru. Remove from pan and use the fat for the chicken, adding the olive oil if needed. Salt the thighs and cook them in the reserved fat  till the skin is browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side, then remove from pan

Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and sauté till softened, adding a little more oil if needed, then deglaze the pan with a bit of the stock. 

Add the sausage and chicken back to the pot with the tomatoes and spices.  Simmer slowly for 30 mins covered with lid askew. Remove the chicken and shred the meat. Discard the bones and skin. Add the beans and spinach to the pot. Remove the bay leaves and bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Cover a let sit till ready to serve. A little shredded cheese on top would be great. 

Butternut Squash and Sage Ravioli

 I still had some lingering foodstuff from Thankgiving so first I used the leftover mashed potatoes and made Graffe Napolitano doughnuts. The the roasted butternut squash caught my eye. It was going to be a curried soup but I was inspired to use a couple of ravioli cutters I spied in the drawer. 

Finished product.

Amazing that the garden still has fresh sage despite the temps outside so I harvested a bit and hit the squash with some cream and the immersion blender. It turned into a nice thick paste to use for the filling. Made some pasta dough and rolled it out to form the raviolis. Note to self: use the thinest setting as the pasta swells a bit and I thought it to thick in the final product. The topping was sage infused brown butter and a sprinkling of grated cheese. 

My Favorite Salad

 We eat meatless about 2 times a week for dinner. Tuesday night and Thursday night usually. Tonight I made our favorite salad with shrimps and avocados and hard boiled eggs. But its not about the salad as much as the dressing. The perfect foil for the ingredients you would think they were made for each other. Topped off with a few homemade croutons and you have a real treat. 

 

Tonight I used iceberg lettuce because I was too lazy to clean the romaine. I added persian cukes,  cherry tomatoes, wedges of hard boiled eggs and about 6 or 7 shrimp. Good sized shrimp (16-20) that had been boiled in the shell then chilled. 

But the dressing. I have been making this version of Bernie Schimmel's recipe for years. You may recall he was the chef at the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha and I've had his cookbook for over 40 years, a signed edition given to me by a friend. In it he has a whole section on sauces and dressings. I’ve used a version of his Crab Louis dressing on this salad forever and it never ceases to surprise me what a great match it is for these few ingredients or as a dip for the shrimps. Its is simply sublime. 

Tom's Crab Louis Dressing

 

In a jar...

 

1/2 cup of mayo  (I used light)

1 tbls chili sauce

1 tbls ketchup

1 tbls lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

1 teas Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbls sour cream

Good shake of hot sauce

Finely Chopped scallion Or chives

 

Mix it all and  give it a good shake. Add a bit of milk if its too thick. 

Croutons? Easy. Cut a few thick slices of crusty bread into cubes. Coat with olive oil, garlic salt and sprinkle with Parmesan. Put in a 375 oven for about 5-7 minutes to toast crisp. 

 

Crab Au Gratin

We had a date with Theo, the middle Mohs child and Mackenzie’s charge for a little one on one time. Theo is 4 and loves Santa Tom (in theory) and is fascinated with crab legs at the local grocery. We made a date to pick some up and cook them with Mac and Cheese for a nice lunch. 

As expected things waxed and waned a bit but the wooden mallets for cracking claws was irresistible. We sat down to lunch and Theo ate a bit of crab leg but destroyed the pile of shells with glee and helped pick out the meat. He ate an apple and a pile of Mac and Cheese so no ones complaining. We followed up with The Empire Strikes Back, another new obsession. All in all it was a lovely visit with a charming Theo. Thanks to the Mohs for letting us spoil their kid a bit. 

Crab Au Gratin. https://howtofeedaloon.com/jumbo-lump-crab-au-gratin/  Original recipe link. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 celery rib finely chopped
• 2 tbsp green onionssliced, save some for garnish
• 1 cloves garlic minced
• 2 large egg yolks slightly beaten
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Gruyere cheesegrated
• 1/2 cup Fontina cheesegrated
• 1 lb lump crab meatpicked over for shells and cartilage

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion, celery, green onions (white parts), and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• While the vegetables cook, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and evaporated milk together in a small bowl until well blended; set aside.
• Add the flour to the skillet, and blend well into the vegetables to create a white roux; be sure to not let the flour brown. About 2 minutes.
• Using a whisk, add the milk mixture, stirring constantly to blend into the roux mixture.
• Stir in the lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and continue to stir for another 4 - 5 minutes. (if sauce seems too thick, add a little water or milk to thin...should be the consistency of thick creamed soup).
• Remove from the heat, and fold in half the cheese; blend until it is totally melted and fully incorporated.
• Gently divide the crab meat among four mini oven-proof casseroles, or iron serving dishes; trying not to break up the crab lumps. Or, pour into 1 large cast iron skillet, or 8"x8" baking dish.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the crab, and then sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese on top.
• Bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes, then reset the oven for broil, and broil until the cheese begins to brown, about 5 minutes (keep an eye on this...don't let it burn!!).
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the green onions (green parts), and serve at once!
  
  
  Notes: I used picked dungeness on hand with 1/2 pound bay scallops that I sautéed before hand. I only made half a recipe in a 8 inch iron skillet. Served with toasted French slices but equally good with sturdy corn chips. 
  
  
  
  

Cheesy Chicken Soup

 These cooler days are getting me thinking of soups for the chill. One of the family favorites is this Cheesy Chicken Soup. The history of this recipe comes from the old cafeteria at Bishop Clarkson where Brenda and I went to school for nursing. The cafeteria was full of cooks and chefs that actually made most of the food on the premises and offered staff a discount. Those days are long gone.  I always liked the soup and honestly have no idea if this anything like it but we have made it for years and it hits the spot with a nice crusty French baguette or biscuit. 

I first made some chicken stock since all the spatchcocked chickens I made this summer had the backbones added to my stock bag in the freezer. Combined with a celery stem and leaves, carrots, onion and garlic in the pressure cooker, I have a nice stock in no time. The actual stock recipe is elsewhere on this blog. 

Ingredient list (makes 5 quarts)

1 Rotisserie chicken or the chicken you may have used to make stock, shredded

2 zucchini halved and cut into 1/4 inch moons

Bag of baby carrots, you might want to steam these a bit to soften them

2 Quarts of stock

1 quart of milk, plus 

1t Lawry's seasoned salt

1t Dry mustard

1/2 pound of cheese like Velveeta

1/2 c Parmesan 

I made the soup today without a roux and flour but you are more than welcome to start that way if you like it thick and creamy. I like a bit thinner and creamy so I add a bit of Wondra at the end to achieve the consistency I like. 

Heat the broth first and add the carrots to cook them a bit. Add the Velveeta in chunks and allow to melt, stirring to keep it from scorching. I added my milk, I use skim but whatever you have is fine. Let it simmer and just begin to boil but watch the heat so it does not scorch on the bottom. Add the seasonings and parmesan. You can add the zucchini and chicken to the pot. If its too thin start sprinkling in Wondra until it gets to where you like it,  Verify you seasoning adding pepper if desired and more salt although mine was plenty salty with the cheeses. I added more milk to fill my 5 quart saucepan. Pretty tasty,  easy soup. 

Life Changes and Cooking Like Crazy these days....

 So....now that I am retired and have my daily chores to keep the household running, I also have a little more time to cook and experiment a bit.

I fielded some Hatch Chili peppers and we love to stuff them with shrimps and bread crumbs. Lately though I have been experimenting with various meat fillings. Last night I used hamburger.  Actually I went to the store early and picked up a few Hatch's to use for dinner last night along with the last Poblanos from the garden. Instead of stuffing the peppers because they were not as large as I like, I decided to make a lasagna out of everything with a nice Green Poblano Sauce. 

Hatch Chili Lasagna

So first things first, Peppers under the broiler with a shmear of olive oil to blacken the skin, turn and blacken the other side, about 4 minutes total. Watch like a hawk. Once thoroughly blackened, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam so the skins can be scraped off. I used 3 large Hatch chilis but would have used six if I was thinking right, 3 for each layer, 

For the filling:

One pound 85% ground beef.

One medium onion diced

2-3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 to 3/4 cup cream

3/4 cup Monterrey Jack

Salt and Pepper

Saute the beef till brown and crumbly then add the onion and garlic till the onion is translucent. Add the cream and cheese and stir until all is well coated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. Use pan for the sauce. 

For the Creamy sauce:

3   4 inch Poblano peppers, blackened and skinned

1   2 inch Jalapeno diced  Remove seeds and membranes to adjust heat but I left them and it had a nice bite. 

3/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2

2 T flour

2 T butter

1 cup milk

2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

2 slices of Processed Swiss or 1/2 cup you favorite white cheese like a sharp cheddar or Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack. 

I used my immersion blender and blended the Poblano and Jalapeno peppers with 3/4 c 1/2 and 1/2 until a nice puree formed. Great green color. 

To the pan add the butter and melt then add the Flour. Cook the roux for a minute or two then add milk and whisk out lumps and cook till sauce thickens. Add the garlic to perfume the sauce. Add the pepper mix and cook till it begins to thicken again. If it needs help I always like to use Wondra to move it along. Add the cheese and allow to melt, salt and pepper to check seasoning. Remove the garlic. Set aside.

For the Lasagna:

No Boil Lasagna Noodles, wetted  (9 total)

2 Cups Monterrey Jack, divided

3 Hatch Chili skinned and opened flat, seeds rinsed out

Filling and Sauce from above. 

In an 8 x 11 Ceramic casserole dish, sprayed with Cooking spray, later 3 Noodles to cover bottom. 

Spoon half the filling, top with 1/4 of the shredded cheese, and the Hatch chilis, Repeat another layer, just sauce and cheese then top with remaining noodles,  Pour sauce over all and top with remianing cheese. 

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes covered then uncover for 15 minutes till brown and bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes so its easier to serve.Cut into 4 or 6 servings

 Top servings with Sour Cream and Salsa. Makes 4 servings. 

Spatchcocked chicken with white sauce.

For chicken

1 (4-pound) whole roasting chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

For rub

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon smoked or sweet paprika

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

For white sauce

1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

After I brined the whole chicken in 1/4 cup salt and 4 cups water I dried it off then hit it with the spice rub and olive oil. I placed on the hot  grill with off set heat and added a chunk of pear to do some smoking at about 300-350. I moved it to the hotter side after 30 minutes and turned the skin side down for some crisping up. Server with the white sauce (very tangy) and Fondant potatoes. Another recipe I found that day.

Fondant Potatoes 

YIELDServes 8

PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 
  medium russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 3 cloves 
  garlic
• 4 tablespoons 
  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon 
  kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon 
  freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons 
  canola oil
• 4 sprigs 
  fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup 
  low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel 4 russet potatoes. Trim the ends, then cut each potato in half crosswise. You should now have 8 flat potato rounds. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to remove excess potato starch. Meanwhile, heat the oven and prepare the garlic and butter.
2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly smash and peel 3 garlic cloves. Cut 4 tablespoons unsalted butter into 8 pieces.
3. Drain the potatoes, rinse with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Season the potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer and cook until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the potatoes using tongs and add the garlic, butter, and 4 sprigs thyme. (If the potatoes are sticking to the pan, let them cook 2 to 3 minutes more until they easily release before flipping.) Cook until the butter is foaming and starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth.
5. Bake until the potatoes are fork tender and lightly browned on the sides, 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with more whole thyme sprigs before serving, drizzled with the pan juices.

Salmon and Peas in a lemon cream sauce

Tonight is our meatless night and I  had about a 1/2 pound of roasted salmon and a side of peas from last Thursday's dinner.  About a 1/2 of a lemon in the fridge got me to thinking. So with a little pasta on the stove, I started a luxurious sauce with a roux and skim milk, the zest of a 1/2 lemon and its juice. Of course the milk got weird but about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream straightened that out. A pinch of salt and pepper and 2 slices of processed swiss  created a smooth, creamy,  lemony sauce that hit the right notes with flakes of the salmon and peas floating in it. Over a bed of spaghetti makes a nice meatless meal for a Tuesday night.

Blueberry Scones

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/scones-recipe/

Lately my lovely bride has had a hankering for scones. Who am I to deny her pleasure? She found the above recipe and I have been making a batch every few weeks. One gets consumed and the rest frozen for future breakfast treats. They are heavenly with butter and cream and plump frozen berries. Topped with a lemon glaze, out this world.

Butter Chicken...this recipe was a keeper.

Not at all for the faint of heart, Butter Chicken has a lot of local competition for me, my kids all have their favorites. I must master this skill. I think i did tonight but it took 2 days. I started on Friday, grinding spices and prepping the chicken for the double marinade. Was it worth it? Totally.

 It took a lot of time mostly waiting for marinades to work their magic and doughs to stop snapping back on me allowing adequate rest time. I made naan and paratha too. Delicious fresh breads to compliment the gravy and sop up whats left. It was good, really good.  Here’s the link to the recipe I used:  https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/murgh-makhani-recipe-butter-chicken/

Paratha in a dry skillet after the first turn.

Naan in front some with garlic and cilantro. Paratha in the rear, coils of buttery layers.

To be fair, I have an incredibly well stocked Indian pantry. I had cilantro on hand as well as Greek yogurt. A few years ago, one of our third year fellows went home for a few weeks to India and knew my interest in the culture and food (I have a Indian playlist) so he brought me  bags of spices. The Garam Masala I ground from the raw spices into a redolent mix of Indian nirvana. The bag looked like potpourri and some of the spices I had never seen in their whole form.
With the chicken marinating over night I started the breads this morning while Brenda was at work. I took the chicken out, placed it on non stick foil and oven grilled it till dark spots appeared on the surface. I set that aside and began working in earnest on the gravy. Lots of microplaning fresh garlic and ginger (from my freezer) the a quick saute of the spices,  adding tomatoes that had been pureed with raw cashews. After cooking down the gravy, I added back the chicken and juices then into the oven for an hour.  Once out of the oven I added the last of the spice mix of Kashmiri Menthi (fenugreek) and garam masala. Then the magic of heavy cream. Not a lot, about 1/2 cup or so and a quick spin of the immersion blender to smooth out the gravy. Adjust the seasoning for salt and heat. A bit of tomato paste to redden the gravy a bit and a big squirt of Siracha to bring up the heat. I had Kashmiri Chilis but opted out for a gentler burn. Silken divinity in a pot. Tender chunks of chicken and to die for gravy.
The bread had to start about 3,  so first the parathas were made and cooked in a dry skillet. I used Serious Eats web site which showed me how to laminate the dough and I found my tortilla press makes very thin paratha and naan and saved me rolling it all out by hand. A little wax paper and cooking spray made the job easy and non stick.  Brenda helped cook the breads while I squashed the next one. The paratha was so flaky and buttery. The naan soft and pillowy. My favorite jalapeno beer was not on hand so I added jalepenos and their liquid to a Corona on hand which worked just fine. Jalapeno beer is the best with Indian food.  Cheers everyone to a great Saturday night meal.

Chickpea stew

It's Lent and I took a chance. This vegan stew was actually quite tasty. Loaded with anti inflamatory tumeric, and crispy chickpeas, it was thick and creamy from coconut milk.

1/4 cup olive oil
4 chopped garlic cloves
1 large chopped yellow onion
2 inch hunk of peeled ginger chopped
1 1/2 teasp tumeric
1 teasp crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans drained chickpeas (use the liquid, aquafaba, in the soup if you like)
2 cans coconut milk (I used Lite)
2 cups veggie stock (less if you used the aquafaba from the peas)
1bunch Swiss Chard, shredded with stems

Cook the onion in the oil till it softens then add garlic, ginger and tumeric.
The recipe called for adding the chickpeas and cooking 8-10 minutes till crisp. That never happened. Remove a cup, dry them and crisp them in a separate pan, reserve till the end. Add the rest of the peas and cook 8-10 minutes then mash them before adding the milk and stock. The peas should thicken the soup but I used a bit of Wondra to help it along. Simmer 30-40 minutes then add the shredded chard and cook till just tender. Check your seasoning. Add the crisped peas and serve.

Mashed Potato Salad...Who knew?

Was watching early a.m. TV and Martina McBride has or had a cooking show. Ok but potato salad with mashed potatoes?  It’s pretty tasty it turns out with a tweak or two. I did not use much sugar and forgot the celery. I had Famous Dave’s Hot pickle relish that is sweet as well. Since I had ribs on the menu today, I did a little experimenting with some recipes. Added jalapeños to my corn casserole and used mashed spuds for the potato Salad. Rather than rewrite the recipe, here’s the link:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dads-mashed-potato-salad-5515507

Great stuff.  Corn Casserole? You know this one with spaghetti and velveeta? Just add a handful of pickled jalapeños for a little bite and interest. Yum.

A Recipe Worth Repeating....

https://icxcpainter.blogspot.com/2017/01/champagne-shrimp-bisque-when-you-dont.html

Two years ago I posted this recipe that we had at the Fangman’s on New Years. This year we entertained our buddies, Mike and Cindy Baumer and I made this bisque to start the meal. What a pleasure it was and I followed the original recipe with a few minor exceptions.

Firstly, I again made my own stock using shrimp shells, onion, carrot and celery with a half head of garlic. I seasoned it and set it aside, tasting to make sure I liked it. I added a teaspoon of Fish sauce and a tablespoon of Better Than Bullion's Lobster base before being satisfied.

The day of serving I made the rest of the soup, making the portion larger as we had some additional guests. It was smooth and velvety with small bits of shallot and large chunks of shrimp. I added a tablespoon of tomato paste, mostly for color but it made a subtle variation in taste that was very pleasing.

Lastly, after heating the bisque,  I added the cream, then the champagne. Exquisite flavors, just enough salt, creamy and smooth and simply unctuous. The Champagne made all the difference, topped with fresh chives, it was a triumph. Delicious!