Cream Of Shrimp Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled,deveined,shells reserved
4 cups fish stock or 4 cups bottled clam juice
1 cup dry white vermouth
1 bay leaf
1 chopped onion
1 carrot, scraped and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons brandy
3/4 cup whipping cream

Preparation

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.
Add reserved shrimp shells and saute'stirring for 5 minutes.
Add stock, vermouth, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
Strain stock into a bowl.
Heat remaining T olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion, carrot, and garlic, saute' 5 minutes.
Add tomatoe paste and cayenne, blending well.
Add tomatoes with juices and shrimp stock.
Simmer 5 minutes.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add shrimp.
Saute 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add brandy and carefully ignite.
After the flames subside, return pan to heat and saute shrimp 2 more minutes, or until cooked through.
Place 6 shrimp in a bowl and set aside.
Mix remaining shrimp into soup.
Add cream to skillet, bring to boil and add to soup.
In a food processor or blender, puree soup in batches.
Strain through a coarse sieve, set over a large saucepan, pushing through most of the solids with a wooden spoon.
Bring to a simmer.
Season to taste.
Ladle into bowls, topping each bowl with 1 reserved shrimp.