Classic French bisque gets its flavour from the shells (mainly the heads) of shellfish, making it a very inexpensive soup. You can make bisque from any crustacean – crabs, lobsters, freshwater crayfish (such as yabbies and marrons) – but prawn bisque (bisque de crevettes in French) is the most popular. Whenever I peel prawns (shrimp) for a dish, I freeze the shells and heads until I have enough to make this delicious soup. I’m fascinated by the way words change meaning over time; Escoffier suggests the word bisque, which has been in use for many centuries, may indicate origins in the Spanish province of Biscay. It originally referred to a highly spiced dish of boiled meat or game. Later bisque was made from game birds – such as pigeon or quail – and garnished with crayfish. By the 17th century, bisque had evolved into a crayfish soup, and shortly afterwards other shellfish were also used. You’ll need the shells from about 1kg (2lb 3oz) of medium-large prawns (shrimp) to make this prawn bisque. Prawn heads oxidise quickly once they’re thawed (see video below), so I usually add them straight from the freezer, cover the pan and cook them over low heat for an extra 5 minutes or so, breaking up the block regularly with a wooden spoon until the shells separate, then continue with the recipe. Prawn bisque is often garnished with a drizzle of cream, try it with creamy stracciatella cheese for a delicious variation. Then pour a glass of savoury rosé, such as XO Wine Co.’s delicious Games Night grenache-barbera blend, and enjoy!
Serves 6 as a starter
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