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tails off shrimp and shell. Reserve heads and shells. Devein
shrimp tails and cut into small pieces. Reserve meat.
Mash
the butter and flour together and reserve.
In a
heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
Add the shrimp heads and tail shells and sauté, pressing down
on the shells with a wooden spoon. Add the carrot, celery,
onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Continue to cook for 3-4
minutes.
Add
the tomato puree and saffron threads. Add the brandy and pull
the pot off the heat. Light the brandy with a match. When
the flame has waned, return the pot to the heat and add the
white wine, clam juice and lobster stock base. Cover and gently
simmer for 1 hour.
Pour
the soup through a strainer into another stockpot. Keep warm
over medium heat.
Stir
in the butter and flour mixture. Add the cream and continue
to cook until soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Strain the
soup again into another stockpot.
Add
the reserved shrimp meat and heat through until tender, about
2 minutes. Add salt and cayenne to taste. Ladle the soup into
serving bowls and garnish with baby
croutons.
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