1

Prepare shrimp stock: Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and devein shrimp; reserve shells and tails. Refrigerate shrimp until ready to use. Place reserved shrimp shells on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until crisp and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully pour sherry onto the baking sheet; scrape with the spatula to deglaze and remove all the bits of shrimp from the pan. Pour shells and sherry into a stockpot; add 5 cups water and the bay leaf. Squeeze lemon juice into the pot; add lemon rind and basil stems. Bring stock to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain stock and discard solids.

2

Prepare soup: In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat. Add shrimp and sauté about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add onion, carrots, and celery to pot and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add stock, bay leaf, and rice. Cook 20 minutes over medium heat. Add tomatoes and basil leaves and cook 10 more minutes. Return shrimp to pot; cook 2 more minutes.

3

Remove bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth (or puree in small batches in a food processor fitted with knife blade, then return to pot). Add cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.