Outrageously good seafood bisque inspired by Provencal flavors, with saffron, tomato, and mild, white fish.
Great with crusty bread.
‘Bisque de Fruits de Mer’".
Elise Bauer
I hope you make it.
Theyre just, well, more refined than a typical country soup.
And sometimes I feel the need for a touch of elegance, even on a busy midweek night.
Elise Bauer
One of the things that makes this soup so lovely?
It only takes about 30 minutes to make.
You cannot substitute something else for the saffron; its color and aroma are integral to the soup.
A pinch of cayenne adds the faintest zing that brings everything together.
For fish I used a Pacific flounder.
Blend this soup well.
You want a smooth, silky texture, not a grainy one.
I pureed the soup first with an immersion blender, then poured it into a regular blender to finish.
In the past Ive even passed it through a fine-meshed drum sieve to make it even smoother.
But you need not go to such lengths.
The soup will be just fine if it is well blended.
Once its blended and you add the cream in, dont let the soup boil; it could break.
And if you have leftovers, just heat them gently in a pot until warm enough to eat.
Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon.
Set aside on a paper towel to use for garnish later.
Increase the heat to medium high and add the onions, celery and carrot.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
Sprinkle some salt over everything as it cooks.
or whatever stock you are using.
Simmer this gently do not let it get to a rolling boil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Get another pot ready.
Work in batches to puree the rest of the soup.
Pour the pureed soup into the clean pot.
Put the soup on medium-low heat and add the cream.
Stir well and taste for salt, adding if needed.
Do not let this boil!
Or it might break.
Serve garnished with bacon bits or dill fronds, and alongside some crusty bread.
