Recipe - Diet Shrimp Bisque

2 pound Fresh shrimp; =OR=
Scampi, Lobster or Crayfish
1 tablespoon Safflower; =OR=
Virgin olive oil
1 Leek
cleaned & cut or sliced up coarsely
1 small Carrot; peeled and cut or sliced up
1 Celery stalk; cut or sliced up
2 Shallots; peeled and chopped
1 Garlic clove
peeled & minced
1 tablespoon Tomato puree
1 One half cup Dry white wine
2 qt Water
1 Chicken bouillon cube
crushed
1 pn Saffron

HERB BOUQUET
One half teaspoon Thyme; and
One half Bay leaf, and
6 Fresh parsley stems
(tied in cheesecloth)

FOR THE BISQUE
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoon Cornstarch
4 tablespoon Nonfat powdered milk
One half teaspoon Cognac, Armagnac or brandy
4 Basil leaves; minced
1 teaspoon Tarragon, minced
1 tablespoon Minced chives

SEPARATE THE TAIL from the shrimp and remove the meat, reserving all
shells, claws, heads and so forth. If you wish, devein the tails, then
cover and refrigerate. Coarsely chop the heads and shells, reserving 4
heads for decoration, if you have them. In a large saucepan, heat the oil
over moderate heat, then add the shrimp shells and cook them. Stir slowly
but continuously for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and tomato puree and
cook another 5 minutes, stirring. Add the wine and bring to the boil for 30
seconds, scraping the bottom to dissolve any coagulated juices. Add the
water, bouillon cube, saffron and herb bouquet. Return to a simmer and
cook, covered, for 1 hour. Pour the stock through a fine strainer into a
bowl, pressing down on the vegetables and shrimp shells with a soup ladle
to extract all of the liquid. (For a finer result, strain again through
cheesecloth.) Return the stock to the boil. Moisten the cornstarch in a
little cold water, then add it to the saucepan and boil for 4 minutes.
Taste for salt and pepper. (The recipe can be prepared ahead to this point
and refrigerated.) Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the shrimp tails and
let them cook a bare 2 minutes (for small or medium), or 3 minutes for
extra large. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and divide them among
4 heated soup plates. Pour the stock into a blender, add the powdered milk
and cognac. Blend until smooth and homogeneous. Pour immediately into the
soup plates over the shrimp tails. Garnish each dish with an equal amount
of the herbs and a shrimp head (optional). This richtasting bisque has
only 90 calories per serving.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini