Name: Freshwater Crayfish Soup
Yield: Serve hot or cold for four people
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons arachide oil; salt and pepper; 1 shallot; 1 kg (2¼ lb) live freshwater crayfish, about 32 in all or fresh or frozen Dublin Bay prawns (scampi); 1 onion; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 200 ml (⅓ pint) double cream; 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon; 1 teaspoon chopped chervil; 7 tablespoons court-bouillon and vegetables; 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped; 150 g (5¼ oz) softened butter; 1 tablespoon tomato purée; 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into tiny mirepoix dice; 250 ml (⅓ pint) dry white wine; 3 tablespoons port; 3 tablespoons armagnac; 2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped; 500 ml (scant pint) water; 1 small bouquet garni; 1 unpeeled clove of garlic, crushed

Preparation info

Serve hot or cold for
four
people

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Cuisine Gourmande

By Michel Guérard

Published 1978

About

Soupe aux écrevisses de rivière ‘A creamy soup with a mouthwatering fragrance’

Ingredients

Main ingredients

1 kg (2¼ lb) live freshwater crayfish, about 32 in all or fresh or frozen Dublin Bay prawns (scampi)

Method

Making the crayfish essence

Heat the oils in the shallow saucepan, throw in the crayfish and sauté them, covered, for 6 minutes, when they will turn a fiery red.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, take out and drain the crayfish using a slotted spoon and put them on a plate. Detach the tails, shell them and keep on one side.</