Seafood Bisque

serves 6

Ingredients :
2 cups dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
2 ribs celery
1 crayfish(lobster) of about 750gms
12 medium-size prawns or shrimps, in shell
24 mussels, cleaned well
1 good-sized fillet of cod (or similar-textured white fish)
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup fresh spinach, well rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup grated carrot
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Method :
Combine the white wine, bay leaf, onion, garlic and celery in a large pot over medium heat add boil for a few minutes.
Add the crayfish(lobster), cover the pot and steam for 10 minutes.
Remove the crayfish(lobster), set aside and cool.

Add the prawns to the boiling broth, cover the pot and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the prawns with tongs, set aside and cool.

Add the mussels, cover the pot and steam until they open (about 5 minutes). Remove the mussels with the tongs, extract the meat and discard the shells.
Add 2 cups of water to the liquid in the pot, bring to a boil and add the fish, cover the pot and steam for 3 minutes.
Remove the scallops with the tongs.

Extract the crayfish(lobster) meat, reserving the clean shells. Peel and devein the prawns, reserving the shells. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces, cover and set aside.

Return the crayfish(lobster) and prawn shells to the broth and add 2 more cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Discard shells.

Bring the broth to a simmer over low heat. Add the cream, milk and herbs and simmer until mixture thickens slightly (about 5 minutes).
Add the seafood and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach and carrots and simmer another 2 minutes to just wilt the spinach.
Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

recipe seafood bisque mussels prawns bisque