Description
A luxurious spiced seafood bisque enriched with smoked paprika, cayenne, and a medley of aromatic vegetables, finished with creamy heavy cream and topped with crispy sesame prawn croutons for a flavorful French-inspired soup experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Bisque
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups seafood stock
- 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
- 1/2 pound white fish (such as cod or haddock), diced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Sesame Prawn Croutons
- 1/2 cup raw shrimp, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg white
- 4 slices baguette
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Oil for pan-frying
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, carrot, and celery for 5 to 7 minutes until they become soft and fragrant, forming the aromatic base of the soup.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, ground cayenne pepper, ground coriander, and nutmeg. Cook this mixture for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors fully.
- Prepare Stock Base: Add the reserved shrimp shells to the pot for added seafood flavor. Then deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom to enrich the broth.
- Simmer Bisque: Pour in the seafood stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes to extract deep flavors from the shells and vegetables.
- Remove Shells and Add Seafood: Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the shrimp shells. Add the raw shrimp and diced white fish to the pot, simmering for another 5 to 7 minutes until the seafood is cooked through.
- Puree Soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot or carefully transfer the soup to a blender to purée until the bisque is perfectly smooth and velvety.
- Finish Bisque: Stir in the heavy cream for richness, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Keep the bisque warm while preparing the croutons.
- Prepare Prawn Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped shrimp, grated fresh ginger, soy sauce, chopped green onion, and egg white. Mix well to create a prawn paste.
- Assemble Croutons: Spread the prawn mixture evenly onto slices of baguette and sprinkle each with sesame seeds to add crunch and flavor.
- Cook Croutons: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the baguette slices prawn-side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the prawn topping is golden and crispy. Flip the croutons and toast the bread side lightly until browned.
- Serve: Ladle the hot spiced bisque into bowls and top each serving with a crispy sesame prawn crouton for a delightful texture contrast and burst of flavor.
Notes
- The bisque can be prepared in advance and gently reheated before serving to save time.
- For a deeper seafood flavor, simmer shrimp shells in the stock for a longer time before discarding.
- Ensure the prawn croutons are cooked prawn-side down first to develop a crispy golden crust.
- Use fresh seafood for the best flavor and texture.
