Zehrs

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Drain shrimp well in colander. Place ten shrimp on paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Remove tails from remaining shrimp, then place shrimp on paper towel-lined baking sheet; set aside.
2. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until very soft and starting to turn golden. Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute. Whisk in cognac, if using, until smooth. Whisk in broth and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in tail-off shrimp. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
3. In batches, transfer soup to blender and purée. Strain through fine-meshed sieve into clean saucepan. Add cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and grinder. Pour into ten individual small glasses or very small bowls. Garnish each serving with one reserved tail-on shrimp. Garnish with sprig of dill, if desired.

Chef's Tips

Serve a large portion in bowls as a sit-down first course, if you prefer.

Make ahead: Make soup up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store soup and reserved tail-on shrimp in refrigerator. Reheat before garnishing with shrimp.