Krewe Chef Mateo Mackbee Shares His Shrimp Bisque Recipe
At Krewe in St. Joseph, chef Mateo Mackbee faithfully replicates family recipes to make diners feel as though they have been transported to New Orleans. The restaurant opened in May 2020 and is named after the people responsible for bringing Mardi Gras’ lively parade floats to life. In 2025, Mackbee became a Best Chef: Midwest semifinalist at the James Beard Awards.
His menu is full of NOLA favorites like crusty po’boys stuffed with Creole-fried catfish or Gulf shrimp the size of golf balls; smothered collard greens cut with caramelized onion and smoked turkey leg; and comforting bowls of gumbo. Krewe uses local ingredients to bring a Minnesota flair to his southern dishes, including biscuits and beignets from the fantastic bakery (Flour & Flower) his wife, Erin Lucas, runs next door.
One of Mackbee's favorite dishes is his shrimp bisque. Find out how to make it at home below or plan a trip to St. Joseph to get a taste of New Orleans in the middle of Minnesota.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1.5–2 lbs shrimp, shells on if possible (any size shrimp)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil or butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 medium starchy potato, peeled & diced
- 1 cup canned Roma tomatoes, crushed or diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 qt seafood or shrimp stock (You can also make your own stock, instructions below)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1–1.5 Tbsp Creole seasoning
- Kosher salt & black pepper
Garnish
- 16-20 shrimp (for poaching, see below)
- Minced chives
- Good olive oil
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon)
Directions
1. If making homemade stock, peel the shrimp (reserving the meat for later) and sauté the shells in 1.5 quarts of water for 30 minutes, then strain.
2. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot in oil/butter until softened.
3. Add potato, garlic, and Roma tomatoes; sauté briefly.
4. Add shrimp stock and simmer until vegetables are tender.
5. While the soup is simmering, poach the shrimp according to the instructions below. Add raw shrimp meat (without shells) to the soup for the final 5 minutes; remove from the heat.
6. Blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender, adding the butter slowly while the blender is running. Add cream and blend smoothly.
7. Strain through a fine mesh into a pot. Season with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.
8. Ladle 8-10 oz soup into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and add 1-2 poached shrimp to the center of the bowl.
9. Finish with Maldon salt, cracked pepper, and chives.
For poached shrimp:
10. Fill a large saucepan ¾ with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring the pot to a rapid boil over high heat.
11. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stop boiling.
12. Add in the peeled and deveined shrimp and stir. Place a lid on the saucepan and let sit 4-5 minutes until shrimp are opaque and pink.
13. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
14. Once the shrimp are cooked, drain the water, put the shrimp into an ice bath, and let them cool. Set aside.