Prawn Fennel Bisque Food

TOMATO FENNEL PRAWN BISQUE

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Stir to sweat the onion for 3 minutes then lower the heat to low.
• Add the fennel and garlic. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook for another 1 minute.
• Add the entire can of tomatoes and coconut milk and raise the heat to medium-high. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until it's as smooth as you want it.
• While the bisque is very hot, add the prawns and stir. They only need a couple minutes to cook through. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fennel fronds.

PRAWN & FENNEL BISQUE

Steps:

• Shell the prawns, then fry the shells in the oil in a large pan for about 5 mins. Add the onion, fennel and carrots and cook for about 10 mins until the veg start to soften. Pour in the wine and brandy, bubble hard for about 1 min to drive off the alcohol, then add the tomatoes, stock and paprika. Cover and simmer for 30 mins. Meanwhile, chop the prawns.
• Blitz the soup as finely as you can with a stick blender or food processor, then press through a sieve into a bowl. Spend a bit of time really working the mixture through the sieve as this will give the soup its velvety texture.
• Tip back into a clean pan, add the prawns and cook for 10 mins, then blitz again until smooth. You can make and chill this a day ahead or freeze it for 1 month. Thaw ovenight in the fridge. To serve, gently reheat in a pan with the cream. If garnishing, cook the 8 prawns in a little butter. Spoon into small bowls and top with the prawns and snipped fennel fronds.

RUSTIC SHRIMP BISQUE

Steps:

• In a large pot over high heat, cook shrimp shells in 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring frequently, until lightly browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Add wine and brandy and boil until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add 6 cups water, thyme and bay leaf and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Strain shrimp stock into a bowl, pressing on shells before discarding them.
• In same pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp and sauté until they are pink, 2 to 4 minutes depending on size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a bowl.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to pot along with celery, leeks, garlic and fennel and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, tomato paste, cayenne and remaining salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Add shrimp stock and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Set aside 4 to 6 nice-looking shrimp and stir remainder into bisque; let cook for 2 minutes. Working carefully and in batches, pour bisque into a blender and process to a smooth purée or pulse to a chunky mixture, as you like. (You may use an immersion blender to purée soup.) Return bisque to pot. Stir in the lemon juice and additional salt to taste. Reheat if necessary before serving. Garnish each bowl with a shrimp and a piece of fennel frond.

QUICK PRAWN, FENNEL & TOMATO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fennel and cook for 5 mins, stirring every so often. Add the tomatoes and seasoning, then bring to the boil. Cover and cook on a low heat for 10 mins until the fennel is tender, then stir in the prawns and warm through. Serve scattered with olives and the reserved fennel tops, roughly chopped.