An old flame
A ’60s bisque gets a modern spin.
In the third issue of The Australian Gourmet we celebrated one of the most theatrical food trends of the ’60s with a headline that screamed “Flambe!”, accompanied by a photograph of an apparently flaming duck. It was 1966, and while some of the dishes in the story have been relegated to the past (rognon flambé, anyone?) others, such as the crayfish bisque, remain timeless.
We’ve revisited the classic bisque from time to time in the pages of Gourmet Traveller and, in this most recent version, prawn is the hero, and we create depth of flavour by using the whole crustacean – shell, head and all – while fennel and Pernod add notes of anise.
The original version made much of the theatre of flambéing – medallions of crayfish were flared in brandy and added to the soup at the table. This prawn bisque circa 2014 is more low-key, served alfresco from a flask. That said, it would be equally at home as the starter to a fancy dinner party – just like one you may have found yourselves at in 1966. Flambéing optional.
Prawn bisque
Soups are a no-brainer for a picnic, thanks to the magic of the Thermos. This classic bisque has a deep prawn flavour with fennel undertones.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 1 hr
Serves 6
1 kg medium uncooked prawns, peeled, cleaned, shells and heads reserved 2 tbsp olive oil 4 onions, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and finely chopped 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp Pernod 75 gm butter, diced 75 gm (½ cup) plain flour Tarragon leaves, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 180C. Place reserved prawn heads and shells on an oven tray and roast until deep orange and crisp (10-15 minutes). Set aside. 2 Heat olive oil in a stockpot and sauté onion, garlic and fennel over low heat until very tender (12-15 minutes). Add prawn heads and shells, crush with a wooden spoon, add tomato paste, increase heat to medium-high and cook until paste darkens (4-5 minutes). Add Pernod, cook for another minute, then add 3 litres water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until well flavoured (30-40 minutes). Strain into a large bowl (discard solids).
3 Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until bubbling, add flour and stir continuously until golden (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in a little prawn stock. Return to heat and stir until thick, add remaining stock and stir over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer.
Add prawns, bring to a simmer and cook for
2-3 minutes until just opaque, then season to taste and serve warm garnished with tarragon.