Crustacean Bisque

Ingredients for 8 servings:

- 0,8 kg langoustines,
- 80 g carots,
- 80 g onions,
- 40 g shallots,
- 50 ml cognac,
- 150 ml white wine,
- 2 l fish stock or 800 g fish bones from sole,
- 400 g tomatoes,
- 40 g tomato purée,
- 3 cloves garlic,
- 1 bouquet garni,
- 1/8 botte chervil,
- 1/8 botte tarragon,
- 100 g rice flour,
- 40 g butter,
- 200 ml double cream,
- 50 ml fine champagne cognac.

 

Get the work area ready – 5 min

Ingredients, equipment for preparation, cooking and serving.

 

  1. Prepare the langoustine – 20 min
  • Wash 0.800 kg of langoustine.
  • Take the shells of, keep the shells for the bisque.
  • Dice the flesh of the langoustine in escalope and leave them to marinate with 0.05 l of cognac in the fridge. 

 

  1. Prepare the vegetables – 15 min
  • Peel and wash all the vegetables.
  • Cut the onions and carrots finely into small-diced mirepoix.
  • Finely chop the shallots.
  • Wash and crush the tomatoes.
  • Remove the germ from the garlic and crush the cloves.
  • Make a bouquet garni, adding the tarragon and the chervil to it.

 

  1. Cook the bisque – 15 min
  • Quickly saute the crustacean shells  until they turn red.
  • Add the aromatic vegetables (carrots, onions, shallots).
  • Gently sweat for a few minutes.
  • Flambé with the cognac.
  • Add the white wine and reduce it by half.
  • Pour over the fish stock or simply add fish bones (in this case pour over water).
  • Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato purée and bouquet garni.
  • Season.
  • Cook uncovered, skimming if necessary, for a few minutes.
  • Drain. 
  • Using a pestle, grind the shells and resume cooking.
  • Cook the bisque again for  20 to 30 min.

  

  1. Make the liason – 5 min
  • The bisque can be thicken with rice flour diluted in a small amount of cold stock.

 

  1. Finish and thicken the bisque – 15 min
  • Strain the bisque (base of sauce américaine) through a metal chinois strainer, applying firm pressure.
  • Add the diluted rice flour.
  • Bring to the boil and cook  the bisque again for a few minutes.
  • Blend then strain the bisque through a muslim strainer.
  • Add the cream, then bring to the boil again.
  • Adjust the seasoning.
  • Put the bisque in a bain-marie, add the butter and cover the bain-marie.

 

  1. Serve the bisque – 5 min
  • Lightly heat the diced crustacean meat with some butter and some fine champagne.
  • Pour the piping hot soup into the soup tureen.
  • Distribute the garnish evenly on top.