This recipe, featured in Hot Topics Vol. 61, Spring 2019, comes from The Global Village Restaurant.
Ingredients:
- 4 - 6 cups (512 - 768 g) of crab shells
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) cognac or whiskey
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 2 tbs. (43 g) tomato paste
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- Parsley sprigs and stalks
- 20 oz. (592 g) canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 - 2 cups (237 ml - 473 ml) water
- 5 drops of Tabasco sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 - 15 black peppercorns
Instructions:
In a tall heavy based pot, crush the crab shells with the end of a rolling pin. This is to extract more flavour whilst the shells are cooking. Roast on high heat and add the cognac or whiskey. Allow the alcohol to burn off before adding the remainder of the ingredients. To this add the vegetables and herbs, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and enough water to cover the shells. Boil for a half hour and reduce to simmer for another hour. Drain the liquid through a very fine strainer to remove all sediment and traces of shell. Pour the liquid into a fresh pot on low heat to allow the flavour to enhance and the bisque to become reduced and thicken. The addition of roux (equal quantities of butter and flour made into a paste) may be used to thicken and added to the bisque and cooked out completely. To finish the bisque, add some seasoning and the Tabasco. The bisque needs to be tasted regularly throughout the cooking process to regulate the salt content. Add only a little salt when seasoning.
