Killer Shrimp

Ugh, I have the flu, so I don't even want to think about food. If I'm not eating, then I must be REALLY sick. Fortunately, I have this recipe in my stash of favorites that will pair well with one of this week's wines. Imagine a restaurant that serves only one dish, it would have to be really killer! And it was. Killer shrimp in Los Angeles had two branches that for years had only shrimp and French bread, though they later added salad and dessert. It was a meal that was literally finger-lickin' good--a big bowl of juicy, spicy, buttery, garlicky shrimp with chewy bread to mop up the sauce.

KILLER SHRIMP:
1 stick butter
2 stalks celery, minced fine
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. rosemary
2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili pepper flakes
2 quarts chicken broth
8 ounces clam juice
 3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed
1 cup dry white wine
2 pounds cleaned shrimp, whole or with shell
1 loaf crusty French bread
Cooking the shrimp with heads on adds flavor, but is not necessary. Do not use peeled shrimp because the shells add flavor to make this dish truly delicious. Make sure the shrimp are cleaned by slitting down the back with a sharp knife and removing the digestive "vein". Crush the herbs together in a mortar and pestle or herb grinder. Melt the butter over low heat in a heavy saucepan and add the garlic, celery, and herbs and cook for a few minutes. Add the broth, clam juice and tomato puree and simmer for an hour, then add the wine and cook for another two minutes. Taste the broth and add salt only needed, then add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp are just cooked, when they have turned pink (about two minutes). Don't overcook or they will be tough. Serve the soup with French bread, which is tasty dipped in the broth, and a glass of the 2008 Callaway Pinot Gris. Serves four hungry people or six moderate eaters.