An old favourite of mine & sheer poetry to the palate when well executed, which is why I hereby reveal an unequivocally perfect recipe that is a combination between the one I was taught at cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu London, and a Gordon Ramsay original … believe me when say that this is the best bisque you will ever eat, or drink!
First and foremost, you are going to steam the crab, as I have already shown you how to do in a makeshift, but super effective steamer in the steamed and seared scallop in miso recipe class … I am using ½ kg of Blue crab from Online delivery service Licious (IMAGE 1), but feel free to use vendor of choice.
Most importantly remember to let the sieve-pot steamer heat and steam for a few minutes before adding the crab (STEP 1), and leave a 1.5 to 2 inch gap between the steamer sieve in which your crab will sit, and the simmering water beneath. You will steam these crab for 5 to 6 minutes and then place them in a bowl to cool down (STEPS 2 & 3). Reserve the steaming water for the bisque (STEP 4).
Then remove the meat by simply squeezing it out from the main bodies (STEP 5), and for the claws, crack them open and remove with meat using a toothpick (STEPS 6 & 7). Reserve the crab meat until use. There will be 120 to 150g approximately of crabmeat (STEP 8).
French Shellfish Bisque
And now onto the making of the bisque for your Timbale of Butter Garlic Crabmeat in a Classic French Shellfish Bisque.
YIELD: 4 covers for a 4 course meal soup course, or 2 covers for a 3 course meal starter
- 500g crab and prawn shells (I order the scampi from Licious simply to use the shells for more flavour, and then use the prawn meat for a different recipe)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ small onion chopped
- ½ small carrot chopped
- ½ stick celery chopped
- 1 sprig parsley
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 40g tomato paste
- 30ml brandy
- 30ml white wine
- 750ml chicken stock (using two knorr cubes in 1 litre of water and then measuring out 750ml) plus 250ml reserved steaming water
- 50g cooked rice
- 125ml double cream
First and foremost gather and prepare your ingredients (STEPS 1 & 2), then in a non-stick pan, stir fry the shells in olive oil until well roasted (STEP 3), then add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over low heat (STEP 4), then add the parsley, thyme and bay leaf and stir in (STEP 5), then the tomato paste and stir fry well until cooked out (STEP 6), then add the alcohols and reduce completely (STEPS 7 & 8), then add the chicken stock and reserved steaming liquid (STEP 9) bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 40 minutes (STEP 10).
Then strain the soup through a sieve, pushing the shells with a wooden spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible (STEPS 11, 12 & 13). Then use a couple of tablespoons of the soup to blend with the cooked rice into a puree (STEPS 14 TO 16), and whisk into the soup as a thickening agent (STEPS 17 & 18). Return to low heat, whisk in the cream (STEPS 19 & 20), and let it reduce at a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (STEP 21).
And now onto the final stage and assembly of the Timbale of Butter Garlic Crabmeat in a Classic French Shellfish Bisque.
First and foremost you need 30 grams of ordinary salted Amul butter and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, which you will melt down, stir fry briefly till the garlic is cooked but not browned (STEPS 1 TO 3), and then add the room temperature crabmeat off the heat and toss through.(STEP 4). Gently reheat the soup without bringing it to the boil, and whilst that is heating, using an open ring mould, either small or medium depending on whether it is a soup or starter course, mould the crab onto the centre of your soup plate (STEPS 5 & 6), garnish with micro-herbs (STEP 7), pour the bisque around (STEP 8), serve and watch your guests gasp in utter delight. (FINAL IMAGE)
Above: Final Image