Onto Seafood

Today we moved onto soups that were fish/seafood based and did a Crème Dieppoise (made from fish stock and roux and added with mussels) and a Bisque (from crab).
For the Bisque, we had to cut in quarters live crabs - some of them were still moving, one even pinched me before I decided to get back my revenge with a cleaver!

Crabs for our bisque

As an interesting side note, whenever you go to the market (in France) for seafood/fish, the best day is Tuesday because that's when they get fresh produce. 

The boys took charge of dividing the crabs...

For the bisque, we got to add in some cognac for a flambé (a glaze where alcohol is added to a hot pan to create flames)

Maniko pleased with her flames. Eyes closed just in case eyelashes get burnt off!

Mmmm...cooked crab!

After cooking the crabs until they are red, you smash it to little pieces, cook carrots, oignons, and shallots flambeed in cognac and then white wine which are then joined by the crab carcasses, fish stock and fresh tomatoes as well as tomato paste to get the red brick color. The bisque takes about 30 minutes to cook and should then be joined by rice (or some sort of starch).
In the end, the whole mixture is strained to just get the liquid which is finally added with liquid cream (Crème Fleurette). 

Bisque

For the Crème Dieppoise, we first have to make fish stock (made of fish carcasses) that is added to the sliced butter, white leeks, mushrooms and flour (roux blanc). By cooking for 30-35 minutes, the velouté thickens and we pass it through a strainer to make sure there are no leftover pieces. In a side sauteuse we saute mussels and baby shrimps with shallots and white wine and use some of the juice and lemon to the soup. 

End result is a white soup joined by mussels and shrimps, and of course cerfeuil!

Crème Dieppoise