Prawn Bisque Pasta
Prawn Bisque Pasta
Ingredients
For the Prawn Stock
- 1 cup prawn shells, from about 1 pound of prawns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, as needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 4 cups cold water, or enough to cover ingredients
- 1 cup ice cubes
For the Pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound peeled prawns
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili, or chili flakes
- 2 cups prawn stock
- 1 cup thickened cream
- 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or diced
- 250 g spaghetti
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley & chili oil, to finish, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the prawn shells and sauté until they turn a deep red, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix well with the prawn shells. Cook for another 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Add the roughly chopped carrot, onion, and celery to the pot. Cook until the vegetables become aromatic, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Pour in the 4 cups of cold water and add the 1 cup of ice cubes, ensuring all ingredients are covered. Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. This is the passive time for the stock.
⏱️ 30 min
- 6
Carefully remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blitz the contents of the pot until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Return the strained stock to the pot and reduce over medium heat to your desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes, aiming for about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of concentrated stock.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
In a separate large pan or skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Add the peeled prawns to the melted butter and quickly sear them until they just turn pink, about 1-2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 4 min
- 10
Remove the seared prawns from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
In the same pan, add the 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh chili (or chili flakes). Fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Pour in 2 cups of the prepared prawn stock, 1 cup of thickened cream, and 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce slightly, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
While the sauce is simmering, boil the spaghetti in a separate pot of salted water until it is about halfway cooked (al dente minus a few minutes), according to package directions.
⏱️ 6 min
- 15
Using tongs, transfer the halfway-cooked spaghetti directly into the bisque sauce in the pan. Add a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley.
⏱️ 2 min
- 16
Continue to cook the spaghetti in the bisque sauce, stirring frequently, until it is fully cooked and has absorbed much of the sauce, about 5-7 minutes. Add more prawn stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
⏱️ 7 min
- 17
Return the seared prawns to the pan with the pasta and toss everything together thoroughly to combine and heat through.
⏱️ 2 min
- 18
Plate the Prawn Bisque Pasta by twirling a portion onto individual plates. Spoon extra prawns and sauce over the plated pasta.
⏱️ 2 min
- 19
Garnish with an additional sprinkle of fresh, finely chopped parsley and a drizzle of parsley & chili oil to finish.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Prawn Bisque Pasta
For the Prawn Stock
- 1 cup prawn shells, from about 1 pound of prawns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, as needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 4 cups cold water, or enough to cover ingredients
- 1 cup ice cubes
For the Pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound peeled prawns
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili, or chili flakes
- 2 cups prawn stock
- 1 cup thickened cream
- 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or diced
- 250 g spaghetti
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley & chili oil, to finish, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the prawn shells and sauté until they turn a deep red, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix well with the prawn shells. Cook for another 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Add the roughly chopped carrot, onion, and celery to the pot. Cook until the vegetables become aromatic, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Pour in the 4 cups of cold water and add the 1 cup of ice cubes, ensuring all ingredients are covered. Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. This is the passive time for the stock.
⏱️ 30 min - 6
Carefully remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blitz the contents of the pot until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Return the strained stock to the pot and reduce over medium heat to your desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes, aiming for about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of concentrated stock.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
In a separate large pan or skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Add the peeled prawns to the melted butter and quickly sear them until they just turn pink, about 1-2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 4 min - 10
Remove the seared prawns from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
In the same pan, add the 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh chili (or chili flakes). Fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Pour in 2 cups of the prepared prawn stock, 1 cup of thickened cream, and 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce slightly, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
While the sauce is simmering, boil the spaghetti in a separate pot of salted water until it is about halfway cooked (al dente minus a few minutes), according to package directions.
⏱️ 6 min - 15
Using tongs, transfer the halfway-cooked spaghetti directly into the bisque sauce in the pan. Add a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley.
⏱️ 2 min - 16
Continue to cook the spaghetti in the bisque sauce, stirring frequently, until it is fully cooked and has absorbed much of the sauce, about 5-7 minutes. Add more prawn stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
⏱️ 7 min - 17
Return the seared prawns to the pan with the pasta and toss everything together thoroughly to combine and heat through.
⏱️ 2 min - 18
Plate the Prawn Bisque Pasta by twirling a portion onto individual plates. Spoon extra prawns and sauce over the plated pasta.
⏱️ 2 min - 19
Garnish with an additional sprinkle of fresh, finely chopped parsley and a drizzle of parsley & chili oil to finish.
⏱️ 1 min