Prawn Bisque with Spaghetti and Roasted Garlic Tomatoes

Mother's Day has been and gone. I am a happy girl - I got my cookbooks - but really haven't had too much time to devour them completely yet - I have had a quick flick through, and there are some lovely recipes that I want to make. The Macaron book certainly has me interested, and after a quick trip to Manly yesterday I am more than anxious to try my hand at macarons again.

I decided to take my mum on a "Post Mother's Day" treat down to Adriano Zumbo's Patissier - she lives about an hour and a half away and this would be a bit of an adventure for her.

I will let you in on a little bit of a secret - don't go after Mother's Day!!! We walked into the store and were greeted by empty cabinets!!! I said - oh, hasn't the truck arrived yet? (remember last time??) - and they replied - we totally sold out of all the cakes yesterday (Mother's Day!!) 

Imagine BIG sad faces now!!!

What???? This can't be!!! They did however have some macarons. We were going to have lunch, then come back and get some macarons - but we were quietly told - no, this is all they had!! Better buy up quick - here is the selection they had yesterday

Left to right Satay, Vanilla, Caramelised Palm Sugar, Strawberries and Cream, Ginger and Kaffir Lime, Mint and Chestnut, Honeycomb and Gingerbread, and Pandan!

Clutching our macarons we headed out to find some lunch - we had intended to have a pie and eat it in the sun on the pier - but unfortunately yesterday, Manly was hit with gale force icy cold winds - this was not going to be an option today!

As we headed back to the car after lunch, we decided to take one last look into Zumbo land - and luckily we did - as joy of joys, somehow, from somewhere, they had procured a few cakes!!! Unfortunately I did not get to take any photos - but I did take a photo of the one cake I bought - can't remember it's name - but think it was Cocoa Bombe - we have not cut into it yet - but I will let you know when we do!!  There are certainly some eclectic choices in the collection at the moment!  There was one called Enter the Dragon - but I thought that was a little too out there for my lot!!!

So back to the real topic of the post. In the latest edition of MasterChef there is a section called MasterClass - this edition's is about European Classics. One of the dishes that caught my eye was Lobster Bisque. I certainly couldn't afford Lobster - but in the tip section it said for a more economical version to make it with green prawns. I set out to get the ingredients - but somewhere along the way I missed a couple - so this is what eventuated - and I must say it was pretty good!!

Prawn Bisque with Spaghetti and Roasted Garlic Tomatoes

Adapted from MasterChef Magazine - May edition

Serves 4

1 kg green prawns, shelled, reserve shells

3 french eschalots, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 small bulb fennel, roughly chopped, fronds reserved
1 tsp peppercorns
3 bay leaves
5 sprigs lemon thyme
1/3 cup brandy
3 cups chicken stock
3 vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
250 ml cooking cream
small bunch of parsley

I simply blitzed all the vegetables, individually, in the thermomix on Turbo twice - to chop them up.

Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add 2 tbs oil to the pan. Add the prawn shells and heads, and cook stirring for 5 minutes. Add the eschalots, garlic, carrot and fennel and cook stirring for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme and cook stirring for an additional 2 minutes. Add the brandy, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until almost all evaporated. Add the reserved fennel fronds, stock, and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by 1/3.

Add the cream and the parsley, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours into the cream.

Strain the bisque through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, by pressing down on the solids. Discard the solids. Bring the bisque to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes or until reduced by 1/3. Season with salt.

During the time that the bisque is reducing, make the roasted garlic tomatoes.

Roasted Garlic Tomatoes

1 punnet (400g) tomato medley

4 cloves crushed garlic

olive oil

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Line a baking tray with foil. Cut the tomatoes into into halves or quarters (depending on size) sprinkle with the garlic and olive oil. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lovely and golden.

While the tomatoes are roasting and the bisque is reducing put your pasta on to cook.  Cook according to directions on packet.

As all the components come to their final stages - it is time to cook the prawns - simply heat a large frypan over medium high heat.  Add a splash or olive oil, 2-3 cloves crushed gar;lic and quickly pan fry the prawns until they change colour and are cooked through.

To plate up place some pasta in the bottom of a serving bowl, top with the prawns, then ladle over some bisque.  Top the whole lot with a little of the roasted tomatoes!

What a wonderful "posh" dish.  May not be exactly as printed in MasterChef Magazine - but we enjoyed it never the less!!!

Dear Readers as a post script - I have had so many problems entering this post - so I apologise if there are any errors that I have missed - I have had enough of this post!!!! - Let's publish and be done!!