Ingredients:
- 1 lb Large Shrimp, shells removed and reserved
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks Celery, chopped
- 1 large Carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Dry Sherry
- 4 cups Fish stock
- 2 sprigs fresh Thyme
- 1 dried Bay leaf
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Fresh lemon juice
- 8 oz Lump Crab meat, picked over
- 8 oz Bay Scallops
- 1 tsp Fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
Instructions:
- Heat neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the reserved shrimp shells and toast, stirring frequently, until they turn vibrant orange and smell nutty (about 5 minutes).
- Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and smashed garlic to the shells. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize.
- Deglaze the pot with dry sherry, scraping up the browned bits. Pour in the fish stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Use a high-speed blender to pulse the stock and vegetables (excluding large shell pieces if necessary, or strain first). Pass the entire mixture through a fine-mesh chinois or strainer into a clean bowl, pressing hard on solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
- Wipe out the Dutch oven and melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to create a light roux, cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the strained seafood stock until thickened and smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream, smoked paprika, cayenne, sea salt, and white pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Perform a 'Residual Heat Poach': Add the reserved shrimp meat, lump crab, and scallops. Remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let sit for 3-5 minutes until the seafood is opaque and just cooked through.
- Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with minced chives and serve immediately.