Light, luxurious, and brimming with flavour, this velvety prawn bisque is perfect to enjoy on a hot summer’s day. Serving up to 10 people, it sets an elegant tone as a starter before the main event at your next lunch or dinner party. Featuring MSC-certified wild banana prawns from Northern Australia, it delivers an authentic taste of Australia’s stunning coastline.
Serves: 10
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g MSC-certified banana prawns (with shells)
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 200ml white wine
- 3 star anise
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised (divided)
- 50g fresh ginger, chopped (divided)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (divided)
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 250g canned diced tomatoes
- 2 litres fish stock
- 200ml cream
- 2 lemons (finely grated zest and juice)
- Olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- White crusty bread (to serve)
Method
- Roast the shells: Preheat your oven to 200°C. Peel the prawns (reserving the meat) and place the shells on an oven tray. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, stirring often, until they turn golden.
- Build the base: Place the roasted shells into a large saucepan along with the chopped onions, carrots, celery, white wine, star anise, and half of the lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the diced tomatoes, fish stock, and cream to the saucepan. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 40 minutes, skimming the surface occasionally to keep the bisque clear.
- Grill the prawns: While the bisque simmers, heat a separate grill pan. Toss the reserved shelled prawns with a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook until slightly charred and cooked through, then set aside.
- First strain: Strain the prawn bisque through a fine sieve, discarding the solids, and return the smooth liquid to the pan.
- Infuse and thicken: Add the remaining lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves to the bisque and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Strain one final time to achieve a beautifully smooth, creamy consistency.
- Serve: Ladle the bisque into bowls. Top each serving with a few of the grilled prawns, sliced red chilli, lemon zest, and a dash of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve immediately with warm, crusty white bread.
About the Chef
Colin Fassnidge is an acclaimed chef and restaurateur who formerly helmed the award-winning Sydney restaurants Four in Hand and 4Fourteen. Today, he operates The Castlereagh by Fassnidge and Banksia. A household name in Australian food, Colin is a long-standing judge on the hit television show My Kitchen Rules and serves as the resident chef on Better Homes and Gardens.
Head to the Marine Stewardship Council website for more delicious, sustainable seafood recipes like this.
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