Originally published May 24, 2025
Shrimp Bisque in Pumpkin Velvet
Shrimp Bisque in Pumpkin Velvet
A bisque love story that started in Hollywood.
Story
I was fairly fearless when I was younger. There was no particular reason. I should have been - for about a million reasons. On my first solo trip to Los Angeles in the late 1970s, I stayed in Hollywood. Right smack dab in the middle of it—on Whitley Ave., just off Hollywood Boulevard. Now, Hollywood Blvd. today is full of tourists and souvenir shops, but back then? It was gritty, it was weird, it was exhilarating. And I loved every minute.
Just down the street from where I was staying was Grauman’s Chinese Theater. After visiting for the first time (how could I not?), I noticed a little restaurant across the street: Hamburger Hamlet. After walking and walking (At that point in my life, I did not drive, I either walked or took the bus), I was tired, thirsty and hungry and unlike today, where there is a gigantic mall next to the theater. there weren't many places to eat. So I crossed the street to take a look.
Eating alone never bothered me back then (why did I lose that trait?), so I went in, sat down, and scanned the menu. That’s when something caught my eye under the Soup section: Lobster Bisque. Now that sounded exotic! I didn’t even know what a bisque was, but I ordered it anyway.
And I’ve been in love with bisques ever since.
Hamburger Hamlet is sadly no more—gone the way of many beloved restaurant chains—but bisques? Bisques are forever.
A New Take: Shrimp Bisque in Pumpkin Velvet
This version I’m sharing today is a little different—shrimp bisque with a velvety pumpkin base. It's special. Not just because of the ingredients, but because of how the flavor is built, layer by layer. One of the key steps is pan-roasting the shrimp shells. Don’t skip that. It’s magic. That one step adds a richness that carries all the way through the final spoonful.
And let’s talk about the sherry. If you think it’s an odd addition, trust me—it’s not. If you don’t have sherry, honestly? Don’t make this dish. Go get some. It doesn’t need to be expensive, just decent. It makes the bisque sing.
Now the Mexican crema is optional, but if you can find it, add a little swirl on top. It’s extra. And wonderful.
The photo may look understated. But the flavor? Oh, your mouth is going to melt from the warm, savory explosion of layered goodness. That’s a promise.
And to Hamburger Hamlet—thank you for introducing me to bisque. You’ll always have a soft spot in my heart.
Text-Only Recipe (Fallback)
Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque — Recipe (Text)
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, 16–20 count, shell on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 pinch saffron (about 24 threads)
- 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon sage, rubbed (plus 1/4 tsp later)
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- For sautéed shrimp: reserved shelled shrimp, 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves garlic (minced), salt, pinch sage
- To finish: 8 tsp sherry; 8 tsp Mexican crema
Instructions
- Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells; chill shrimp.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high; roast shells, stirring, until deep orange (3–4 min).
- Deglaze with wine; simmer until mostly evaporated.
- Add saffron, celery, onion, bay leaves, 1/2 tsp sage; sauté until onion starts to soften.
- Add chicken stock; bring to a boil, then cover and gently simmer 30 min.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing solids; return stock to pan.
- Whisk in pumpkin, cream, salt, pepper, and 1/4 tsp sage; simmer gently 15 min.
- Stir in lemon juice; adjust seasoning.
- Sauté reserved shrimp in oil with garlic, salt, sage until just cooked (4–5 min).
- Add shrimp to bisque; simmer on low 10 min.
- Serve with 1 tsp sherry and 1 tsp crema per bowl.
This Is Delicious! What Is It?
Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, 16-20 count, shell on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 pinch saffron, about 24 threads
- 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 whole bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon sage, rubbed
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sage, rubbed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Sauteed Shrimp
- set aside shelled shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 teaspoons sherry
- 8 teaspoons Mexican crema
Instructions
- Peel and devein shrimp (if necessary - I purchased easy-to-peel shrimp), reserving the shells. Cover the shrimp and refrigerate.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat until hot. Add the shrimp shells to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn deep orange, 3 to 4 minutes. This step, pan-roasting the shells-gives the stock much of its flavor, so take the time to do it carefully.
- Add the wine to the pan, then boil it over medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated.
- Add the saffron, celery, onion, bay leaves, and sage, and sauté until onions just start to soften.
- Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Strain the stock through a fine sieve, pushing down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Rinse out the saucepan and pour the stock back into it.
- Whisk the pumpkin, then cream, then salt and pepper into the shrimp stock. Whisk in the rubbed sage.
- Bring the soup to a simmer, then cook very gently covered over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and season with black pepper and more salt (if needed).
- Sautee shrimp:
- Pour the olive oil into a large sauté pan placed over medium heat. When hot, add the reserved shrimp, salt, and sage and cook, tossing often, until the shrimp is just cooked through, pink, and no longer translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. They should still have a tender snap when you bite into them.
- Add sautéed shrimp to the bisque and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- To serve, ladle shrimp and soup into the soup bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon sherry. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of Mexican cream over the top.
- Serve!
Recipe and photograph by Robert Meyers-Lussier