Creamed Crawfish Bisque
NotesThe crawfish will become spicier the longer they sit in the liquid.The bisque may be served hot.
The crawfish heads hold the fat which enriches the bisque.
For added flavor, reserve the stock after cooking and draining the crawfish. Boil the stock until reduced by half. Add a cup or two to the bisque before adding the cream.
Serves6
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 2 hours
Make Ahead RecipeYes
OccasionFormal Dinner Party
Recipe Coursemain course
Equipmentfood processor
Taste and Texturecreamy, rich, savory
Type of Dishbisque
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 3 lemons, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped celery leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 3 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 1 package (3 ounces) shrimp or crab boil
- 7 pounds live crawfish
- ¼ pounds unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery heart, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 quarts heavy cream
- Salt
- Food processor
Instructions
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For the crawfish:
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Fill a large stockpot one-third full of cold water. Add all of the ingredients except the crawfish and boil for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the crawfish in salted cold water for about 15 minutes; rinse.
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Strain the stock and discard the vegetables. Place the crawfish in the liquid and add water to cover, if necessary. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Drain and serve (see Notes).
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For the bisque:
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Break the cooked crawfish in half and remove the tail meat and fat. Reserve the shells and meat separately.
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In a stockpot, melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery until wilted. Add the cayenne, heavy cream, and reserved crawfish shells, heads, and fat.
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Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
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In a food processor, blend the shells with the cream. Pass the soup through a fine sieve; discard the solids.
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Add the reserved tail meat and chill until ready to serve.
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