Crab And Prawn Ravioli With Seafood Bisque

CRAB AND PRAWN RAVIOLI IN SEAFOOD BISQUE

Steps:

• Make the pasta by mixing all the ingredients together in a food processor with the normal blade.
• You can also do this by mixing the flour and eggs together by hand on a wooden board, but it just takes longer and the end result is the same.
• Turn the dough out onto the counter.
• Use your hands to shape it into a ball and draw together any crumbs.
• Wrap in clingfilm and leave to relax in a cool place for an hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling.
• Remove the prawns from their shells.
• Put the crabmeat and prawns in the food processor and whiz until smooth.
• Add the egg white, lemon juice salt and pepper and whiz again until just mixed.
• Stir in the chives, cover and set aside.
• Make the sauce.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and fry all the shells and onion until they start to brown.
• Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
• Add the brandy, tomatoes, bay leaf, tomato puree and star anise.
• Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Strain the sauce and reduce to 150 ml by boiling rapidly.
• Add the cream, reduce to the consistency of single cream and season to taste.
• Set the sauce aside and roll out your pasta dough as thinly as possible using a pasta maker.
• You want a strip about 6 inches wide.
• Place teaspoonfuls of the filling in even rows at intervals of 1 1/2 inches over half of the pasta.
• Fold the other half over the mounds of filling.
• Press together, firmed around each mound to make sure you have squeezed out all the air.
• Cut between the rows, making sure the edges are sealed.
• You can use a fork to decorate the edges.
• Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until al dente.
• Place on the serving dish, drizzle over the sauce and decorate with the chives.

CRAB AND CHILE RAVIOLI WITH MORNAY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crab and chile filling: Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the jalapeno, Fresno chile and shallots; season with salt and pepper. Let sweat for about 5 to 7 minutes, adding the garlic during the last couple minutes. Raise the heat to medium, add the sherry (to deglaze the pan) and let bubble until almost evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Add the crab, herbs and chile-shallot mixture to a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.
• For the Mornay sauce: Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon for a few minutes to make a roux (it should look like wet sand). Whisk in the milk, making sure to scrape the corners of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, and then remove from the heat. Add the Gruyere and stir until fully melted and combined. Add about a 1/4 cup of the Mornay sauce to the crab mixture to bind.
• For the ravioli: Place a sheet of pasta on a work surface. Fold it in half the wide/long way to make a slight crease down the middle, then lay back out flat. Place 1 to 2 tablespoon-size dollops of the crab mixture every few inches on one half of the pasta sheet. Brush a little water on the border of the pasta sheet and around each ravioli. Fold the top half of pasta sheet over to cover the filling, squeezing out as much air as possible (so they don't pop open in the water). Use a knife, pasta roller or ring cutter to cut out the ravioli. Dust with semolina and reserve on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets and crab mixture.
• Bring a wide shallow pot of salted water to a boil.
• Warm the remaining Mornay sauce in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Use pasta water to thin to the desired consistency as needed.
• Cook the ravioli in the boiling water, in batches if necessary, until they float to the top, a few minutes. Transfer the ravioli straight into the skillet with the Mornay sauce and toss gently to coat. Place 3 to 5 ravioli on a plate and spoon a little more Mornay sauce on top. Garnish with the chopped herbs and lemon zest.

PRAWN AND CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Shell prawns, removing the vein - and chop up into small pieces.
• Melt butter in saucepan and add the onion, celery and carrots, cook for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add wine, water, rice and the undrained mashed tomatoes. Bring to the boil and simmer slowly for 45 minutes with the lid on.
• Remove from heat and cool. blend in several lots in blender and return to saucepan.
• Season with salt and pepper, bring back to the boil adding the flaked crabmeat and the chopped prawns and the cream.
• Heat gently stirring for 5 minutes.
• N.B this You can make this soup the day before UP TO when it has been blended. Keep in the fridge, then just before you need it you bring it to the boil and continue the recipe.