Shrimp and Lemongrass Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation time is 2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 cups of shrimp shells (250 grams)
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste (5 millilitres)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped finely
• ½ fennel bulb, cut in half and julienned
• 1 medium size carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 celery stalk, cut finely
• 1 lemongrass stalk, smashed
• 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup of Franz Reh Lark Riesling white wine (250 millilitres)
• 1 litre of shrimp stock (1 quart)
• ½ celery root for garnish, brunoise
• 1 leek, white part only, cleaned, cut in half and julienned
• 8 shrimps, peeled, de-veined and sautéed in butter
• 4 sprigs of sea asparagus

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat the oil and butter. Add the shrimp shells and sauté until they turn red. Add the tomato paste, the onion, the fennel, the carrot, celery , lemongrass and ginger. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce the liquid
2. Add enough shrimp stock to cover the shells. Season with salt and pepper. Do not boil. Simmer for about 1 ½ hours and pass through a fine sieve. Serve with a brunoise of sautéed celery root, julienned leeks, sautéed shrimps and sea asparagus.