Yabbies are abundant, free, and underappreciated at the table. This bisque uses the whole animal and produces a result that surprises people who expect less from a freshwater crayfish.
Why a Bisque
Bisque extracts flavour from the shells, heads, and roe that are discarded when yabbies are simply boiled and peeled. The shells of crustaceans are extraordinarily flavourful — they contain the same glutamates that make a proper stock complex and satisfying. Throwing them away is waste. Making bisque from them is craft.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 16 yabbies, live or freshly killed
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 150ml brandy or dry sherry
- 750ml fish stock or water
- 200ml cream
- Butter, bay leaf, tarragon, salt
Method
- Kill the yabbies humanely (spike or 10 minutes in ice slurry). Separate heads from tails. Peel tails and refrigerate the meat. Reserve all shells and heads.
- In a heavy pot, heat butter to high. Add shells and heads and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they turn red and smell deeply crustacean.
- Add brandy and flambé carefully, or simply reduce. Add tomato paste and stir through for 2 minutes.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add stock, bay leaf, and enough water to cover. Simmer 25 minutes.
- Strain the entire contents through a fine sieve, pressing all liquid from the shells. Discard solids.
- Return liquid to a clean pot. Add cream and simmer to reduce to bisque consistency — thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Season. Add the reserved tail meat for the last 2 minutes of cooking — no longer or it will toughen.
Serve in warm bowls with a swirl of cream and fresh tarragon. With crusty bread, this is a complete meal.
