Seafood bisque is a rich and creamy soup of French origin, traditionally based on a strained broth of crustaceans (lobster, crab, shrimp, or crayfish). It’s the perfect comfort dish and a lovely treat on National Seafood Bisque Day.
🦐 Seafood Bisque Salmon en Papillote (in parchment)
Ingredients (serves ~4)
For the bisque base:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper (½ if large), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups seafood stock (or fish/clam stock)
1 cup dry white wine
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes or 1 cup tomato purée
1 teaspoon Cajun or Old Bay seasoning (optional)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
For the seafood (to go in parchment sachets):
8 large shrimp, peeled & deveined
8 oz scallops or crab meat or a mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
Salt & pepper
Equipment:
Large pot for soup
Immersion blender (or regular blender)
Parchment paper and kitchen twine or staples
Method
1. Prepare the parchment-paper sachets for the seafood:
Pre-heat oven to 425 °F (220 °C).
Cut two 12×18 inch (≈30×45 cm) pieces of parchment paper. Fold each in half to form a booklet, then open up.
On one half of each sachet, place half the shrimp and scallops/crab meat. Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle lemon zest, parsley, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
Fold the other half of the parchment over the seafood, and crimp/roll the long edge and short edges to seal well — you can staple or tie with kitchen twine to secure.
Place sachets on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes (seafood should just be cooked through). Remove and set aside.
Why parchment? The sealed parchment steams the seafood gently, retaining moisture and flavour, and makes for a lovely presentation when you open the sachet at the table.
2. Make the bisque base:
In your large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add chopped onion, celery, red pepper and garlic. Sauté until softened (about 5 minutes).
Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to form a roux (this will give the bisque body).
Gradually whisk in the seafood stock until smooth and bring to a simmer.
Add white wine, tomato purée/crushed tomatoes, Cajun seasoning and oregano. Stir and reduce heat to low. Let simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender (or transfer carefully to a regular blender), blend the mixture until smooth. Return to pot.
Stir in heavy cream, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Warm through but do not boil once cream is added.
3. Combine & serve:
Open the parchment sachets at the table if you like the drama, or gently cut them and add the cooked seafood into the bisque.
Ladle the bisque into bowls, dividing the seafood among bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or a drizzle of cream.
Serve with crusty bread or garlic-toasted crostini for dipping.
Tips & Variations
You can substitute other shellfish like lobster chunks, crayfish, crab claws. Traditional bisque often uses crustacean shells to build stock.
If you want a deeper shellfish flavour, reserve shrimp/scallop shells, sauté them, then add water and simmer to make your own stock.
Adjust thickness by varying cream amount. For a lighter version, use half & half instead of heavy cream.
The parchment sachet trick works beautifully for plating — your guests open the little “parcel” at the bowl and catch the steam and aroma.
Keep the bisque warm on very low heat; it can be made ahead and reheated gently.
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Why this dish works & the parchment twist
The creamy, smooth nature of a bisque makes it comforting and “special-occasion” worthy — ideal for National Seafood Bisque Day.
The parchment paper sachets allow the seafood to cook separately, stay tender, and add fresh, vibrant pieces of seafood to the bisque just before serving — rather than having all pieces simmered and softened.
Presentation matters: serving the seafood in its little parchment parcel adds theatre and preserves texture.
The flavour layering (stock + wine + tomato + cream) gives depth while still allowing the seafood to shine.