For company
Crab bisque
Silky, coral-coloured and quietly luxurious — the most impressive starter you can put in front of people in winter.
From The Food of France by Maria Villegas and Sarah Randell. I adore crab and this is an absolute crowd pleaser. Crab from Dunkeld Fisherman's Deli.
Method
- 01
Pick the crab meat and reserve it. Keep every shell and crush them roughly.
- 02
Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the shells hard for 5 minutes until they smell sweet and toasted.
- 03
Add the onion, carrot, celery, fennel and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomato puree and cook out for 2 minutes.
- 04
Add the brandy and let it boil away, then the wine, and reduce by half.
- 05
Pour in the stock, add the bay, thyme, orange peel, saffron and rice. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
- 06
Remove the aromatics, blitz the soup in batches, then pass it through a fine sieve, pressing hard. Pass it a second time for a truly silky finish.
- 07
Reheat with the cream without boiling. Season with salt, cayenne and lemon until it tastes bright.
- 08
Ladle into warm bowls, mound picked white crab meat in the centre, swirl in a little more cream and scatter with chives.
Keep cooking
