Creamy Prawn/Crayfish Bisque Sauce Over Pasta (Suggested for every 250 grams of shellfish)
Fancy, Budget-Friendly Seafood Pasta with Prawns and Kaffir Lime Leaves
Prep Time: Approximately 20 minutesCook Time: Approx. 40 minutesTotal Time: Up to 1 hourServes: 2 large portions or 4 small onesDifficulty: Medium
Ingredients (15)
- 250 grams of raw prawns/crayfish (lobster if preferred, with shell if available)
- 500 ml of water
- 2 large lemon or lime rind peelings
- 2 tsp of Thyme or 4 sprigs of thyme
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh if possible (substitute with bay leaves if out of New Zealand)
- 3 horopito leaves, fresh if possible (substitute with more thyme or bay leaves)
- Juice of half a lemon and/or lime
- Salt and pepper
- Flour
- Butter (not margarine)
- 1/2 cup of regular or light milk
- Fresh basil
- 500 grams of pasta (fettuccine or linguine preferred)
- Parmesan
- 3 pinches of thickener (like cornflour)
Instructions
- Prepare the prawns by removing the meat from the heads and shells. Save the shells and meat, and do not cook. If using crayfish, cook first by boiling them in a large pot. Cover with water, kill them by slicing through the head, then bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes for the first 500 grams, and 3 extra minutes for each subsequent 500 grams. Drain and let cool, then remove the edible white meat (like claws, legs, tail, etc.). Keep the shell, head, and any remaining parts.
- Place the prawn shells or crayfish shells in a saucepan with 500 ml of water, lemon/lime rind, lemon/lime juice, thyme, kaffir lime leaves, horopito or bay leaves, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid reduces by half. You can do this step at any time, but complete the rest of the steps when you're ready to cook the meal.
- Strain the liquids into a bowl and discard the solids. Save a cup of the liquid and reduce it by half in a separate saucepan. Keep it warm for the sauce. Set aside the remaining bisque for freezing later.
- Make a basic roux by melting butter in a saucepot, seasoning with pepper, salt, and flour. Fry until ready for thickening.
- Add the reduced bisque (about half a cup of liquid) and milk slowly, while continually whisking on medium heat. Once thickened, remove from the heat and continue whisking for another 1/2 minute.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, drain, then mix the sauce, some fresh basil, and the prawns (if fried in butter) or cooked crayfish meat in the pasta.
- Serve with some grated parmesan and basil, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes:
- To save time, pre-cook the prawns/crayfish if you prefer.
- Substitute kaffir lime leaves with other citrus peelings if they're unavailable.
- In New Zealand, horopito leaves can be found in the supermarket or at Natural Health Shops.
- This dish is versatile, so feel free to adjust the ingredients to your liking and what's readily available. Enjoy your meal!
- By following this recipe, you can ensure a nutritious meal with a yield of approximately 2 large or 4 small portions of Fancy, Budget-Friendly Seafood Pasta with Prawns and Kaffir Lime Leaves, enriched with the flavors of ingredients like thyme, lemon or lime rind peelings, and kaffir lime leaves.
- For an optimal taste, consider experimenting with different ingredients; for instance, you might substitute New Zealand's hard-to-find horopito leaves with more thyme or bay leaves, or swap citrus peelings for kaffir lime leaves if they're unavailable.
- In addition to being tasty, this pasta dish is versatile, so you can sure tailor its ingredients to your preferences and the availability of certain items, guaranteeing a delicious meal every time.
){kind=link}