Dublin Bay Prawn Bisque

Total Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium leek, chopped
• 1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup oloroso sherry wine
• 1 lb medium prawns (head-on,about 25-30, plus a few extra for garnish) (optional) or 1 lb shrimp (head-on,about 25-30, plus a few extra for garnish) (optional)
• 1/4 cup basmati rice, uncooked
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 5 sprigs parsley, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 6 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt

Recipe

• 1 in a wide (4 quart) saucepan, cook onion, leek and fennel and butter over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. add tomatoes and tomato paste; continue to cook until most of the water from the tomatoes has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
• 2 add sherry and simmer until reduced by half, 5-6 minutes. stir in prawns, rice, cream and hakf-and-half; bring to a simmer.
• 3 add parsley, thyme, bay leaf, then gently simmer , stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
• 4 discard herbs and prawns. purèe soup in a blender, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper, season to taste with salt.
• 5 quickly boil extra prawns (if using) until no longer translucent, 1-2 minutes. ladle hot soup into bowls.
• 6 place 1 boiled prawn in each bowl with a few extra herb sprigs (if using).