Ingredients:

  • Prawn Shells & Heads (from about 1 lb/450g of raw prawns)
  • Raw Prawn Meat, peeled, deveined, diced (8 oz / 225 g)
  • Unsalted Butter (4 Tbsp / 60 g total)
  • Cognac or Brandy (1/4 cup / 60 ml)
  • Dry White Wine (1/2 cup / 120 ml)
  • Water or Fish Stock, low sodium (6 cups / 1.5 L)
  • Uncooked White Rice, short grain or Arborio (1/4 cup / 50 g)
  • Bay Leaves (2 large)
  • Fresh Thyme Sprigs (4 sprigs)
  • Yellow Onion, finely diced (1 large / 150 g)
  • Carrot, peeled, finely diced (1 medium / 100 g)
  • Celery Stalk, finely diced (1 stalk / 50 g)
  • Garlic, minced (2 cloves / 10 g)
  • Tomato Paste, concentrated (2 Tbsp / 30 g)
  • Heavy Cream (Double Cream), 35% fat or higher (1 cup / 240 ml)
  • Cayenne Pepper (Pinch)
  • Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To taste)
  • Fresh Parsley (for garnish) (1 Tbsp / 5 g)

Instructions:

  1. Roast the Shells: In the stockpot, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the prawn shells/heads and sauté vigorously for 5–7 minutes until they turn vibrant pink and release their aroma. This is vital for deep flavour extraction.
  2. Build the Base: Add the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) and garlic to the shells. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelise and deepen its flavour.
  3. Deglaze: Push the solids to one side. Pour in the Cognac and immediately step back (it may ignite, but don't panic!). Let it bubble and reduce slightly (30 seconds). Then add the white wine and reduce by half. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Simmer: Add the 6 cups of water/fish stock, rice, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not boil vigorously.
  5. Initial Strain: Remove from heat. Carefully strain the stock through a coarse sieve into a large bowl, pressing firmly on the solids and shells to extract maximum liquid and flavour. Discard the shells and aromatics.
  6. Second Strain: Pour the strained liquid through a second, fine-mesh sieve (or a sieve lined with cheesecloth) back into the cleaned stockpot. This ensures a silky, grit-free finish.
  7. Reduce and Thicken: Bring the strained stock back up to a gentle simmer and reduce it slightly for 10–15 minutes. Use an immersion blender (or standard blender) to briefly blend the liquid until the rice grains have completely dissolved and the stock has slightly thickened.
  8. Final Simmer: Return the thickened liquid to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Gently heat until steaming, but DO NOT boil once the cream is added.
  9. Cook Seafood and Season: Add the diced, raw prawn meat. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the prawns are just cooked through (opaque). Taste the bisque, adjusting salt and pepper until perfectly seasoned.
  10. Serving: Ladle the hot bisque into bowls, ensuring the prawns are evenly distributed. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.