Prawn and shellfish bisque

Prawn and shellfish bisque

I use this bisque with all my fish dishes, expecially for making pasta, risotto and soups. This is my favourite reduced stock in order to make wonderful sea food tagliatelle. Shells and fish heads give lots of flavor.    

Ingredients

200 ml extra virgin olive oil

1,5 kg of prawn shells and  their heads

500 g of coral scallops

2 medium onions

2 medium carrots

2 celery sticks

300 ml of brandy

150 g tomato double-concentrate

2 parsley sticks

3 lt of water

A punches of salt

Method

1. Heat in a big stockpot the extra virgin olive oil with  onion, carrot and celery roughly chopped. Add some bay leaves and stir. Allow them almost to burn then add all kind of shells. Stir carefully for a couple of minutes.

2. Bash the heads and vegetables down into the pot, then add the brandy and make flambé. When the flame is died turn the fire off and add some pieces of ice and stir.

3. When the ingredients into the pot are cooler turn the fire on and put the water, the tomato paste and parsley and feel free to put a punch of sea salt. Bring to the boil, the reduce to a simmer for a hour. Pass the bisque through a fine chinois. Press down carefully the shells with a big spoon in order to release the juice.

4. Then put the juice in a new stock pot with a tablespoon of potato flour melted with cold water   and bring to the boil. You can use immediately or  put in a cooler machine.

5. You can store it refrigerate 0-2°C for 3 days.

Tagliatelle with seafood and Cherry Tomatoes sauce

Tagliatelle with seafood and Cherry Tomatoes sauce

Serves for four

Ingredients

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1 red chilli pepper

600 g assorted seafood ( king prawns, clams, mussels, squid, moscardini)

350 g cherry tomatoes halves

A punch of chopped parsley

100 ml of brandy 

320 g of tagliatelle

Method

1. Bring a large casserole to the boil. When it boils salt it and cook the pasta.

2. In the meantime put a large frying pan over a medium heat, put the extra virgin olive oil, the red chilli pepper sliced without seeds and the garlic previously peeled crushed. Stir carefully and fry for about a minute.

3. Increase the heat, add the assorted seafood and  cook for about two minutes, then add quartered cherry tomatoes.

4.  Lastly add the brandy and make flambé, when its flame and scent is dissipated add the shellfish bisque. Drain the pasta  and add to the seafood in the fry pan.

5. Toss very well until it become omogeneous, add a punch of chopped parsley. Serve with a glass of Italian white wine.

Tagliatelle with seafood and Cherry Tomatoes sauce

Tagliatelle with seafood and Cherry Tomatoes sauce

Serves for four

Ingredients

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1 red chilli pepper

600 g assorted seafood ( king prawns, clams, mussels, squid, moscardini)

350 g cherry tomatoes halves

A punch of chopped parsley

100 ml of brandy 

320 g of tagliatelle

Method

1. Bring a large casserole to the boil. When it boils salt it and cook the pasta.

2. In the meantime put a large frying pan over a medium heat, put the extra virgin olive oil, the red chilli pepper sliced without seeds and the garlic previously peeled crushed. Stir carefully and fry for about a minute.

3. Increase the heat, add the assorted seafood and  cook for about two minutes, then add quartered cherry tomatoes.

4.  Lastly add the brandy and make flambé, when its flame and scent is dissipated add the shellfish bisque. Drain the pasta  and add to the seafood in the fry pan.

5. Toss very well until it become omogeneous, add a punch of chopped parsley. Serve with a glass of Italian white wine.