Seafood Bisque

2 sticks butter
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
½ bay leaf
pinch Italian seasoning
½ pinch tarragon
4 drops Tabasco sauce
3 Tbsp clam juice
1/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp sherry
1 quart half-and-half
1 pound seafood chunks (shrimp, crab, scallops, whitefish)
1 ½ tsp salt
*Melt butter in skillet. Add celery, onion and bay leaf. Sauté until tender. Add seasonings and flour. Remove bay leaf, stir to make roux. Remove from heat; add sherry and set aside.
In top of double boiler, heat half-and-half. Stir in roux and heat (stirring) until thickened, 7-10 minutes. Add seafood. Heat until seafood is cooked through, 10 minutes. Add extra clam juice if it gets too thick.