Half Shell's Shrimp Bisque

Measure dry spices and set aside.

Place canned tomatoes and juice in large pot. Break tomatoes into bite-size pieces (but not too small), removing any stem ends on tomatoes. Add mushroom soup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and water. However, go easy on the water; more can be added later, if needed. Use more for thin, less for thick soup.

Add cooked shrimp, fish and the spices. Simmer until hot and spices well blended, about 15 to 30 minutes.

In a large pot, put about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Place a metal vegetable steamer over the water, add the shrimp (peeled, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces). Then add the flounder fillets (check for bones and scales). Cover and steam a few minutes, until fish is cooked. Break cooked fish into chunky pieces into the soup.

You can add stock from cooking the seafood to the soup; this is why it is suggested you wait to add the 2 cups water. You can always add more, but if you add too much water, you can't take it away, other than simmering off the excess water. Then the flavor of the soup would cook away and the fish would disintegrate into tiny pieces.

Recipe Source: The Half Shell Restaurant, Knoxville