Bisque De Cribiches (Freshwater Crayfish Bisque)
Submitted by twofish
Martinique-style crayfish bisque simmered with fennel, garlic, and hot pepper, then enriched with coconut milk and egg yolks. A Caribbean French Creole soup that’s silky, spicy, and deeply savory.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
70 minREADY
90 minStraight from the kitchens of Martinique, this crayfish bisque is Caribbean soul food at its most refined.
Two pounds of freshwater crayfish get sautéed with onion and garlic, then simmered gently with a sprig of fennel and a whole hot pepper that perfumes the broth without blowing your head off.
The crayfish are puréed and returned to the pot, giving the bisque a rich body that feels luxurious without a drop of cream.
Coconut milk adds a velvety tropical sweetness, and egg yolks stirred in at the end thicken everything into a silky, spoonable soup that tastes like the French Caribbean coast.
Chef Tips
- Simmer the crayfish shells in the water first to build a stock with real backbone before adding the sautéed crayfish.
- Keep the hot pepper whole and remove it after cooking. Cutting it open will release far more heat than you want.
- When adding the egg yolks, temper them first with a splash of hot broth. Dumping them straight into the pot will give you scrambled eggs in your bisque.
- Stir constantly over low heat after the yolks go in. The soup should thicken gently, never boil.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat butter in heavy saucepan and add crayfish, onion and garlic.
Sauté over medium heat until the crayfish have changed color, about 5 minutes.
Add the fennel, hot pepper and water.
Cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove and discard the fennel and the hot pepper.
Remove the crayfish and pound in a mortar and push through a fine sieve or reduce to a purée in an electric blender with a little of the stock.
Return the puréed crayfish to the saucepan, add the coconut milk and heat through.
Beat the eggs yolks with a little of the soup and stir into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the soup is lightly thickened.
The crayfish shells may be simmered the water first to make a more flavorful stock instead of using plain water.
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