 Lobster bisque | |
| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | France |
| Main ingredients | Crustaceans (lobster,langoustine,crab,shrimp orcrayfish),rice |
Bisque (French pronunciation:[bisk]ⓘ) is a smooth, creamy, highly seasonedsoup ofFrench origin, classically based on a strained broth (coulis) ofcrustaceans.[1] It can be made fromlobster,langoustine,crab,shrimp, orcrawfish. The French bisque is one of the most popular seafood soups around the world.
Although originally applied to seafood soups, the use of the word has expanded to mean any thick soup made with cream, such as bisque of tomato or bisque of mushroom. It is differentiated from achowder, also a seafood soup, by its consistency, a chowder being less smooth and more chunky.
The French-language namebisque may derive fromBiscay, as in theBay of Biscay.[2] Historians theorise that bisque was popularised by fisherman off this coast, partly due to its most popular meat being lobster. Some theorise, however, that it may come from "bis cuites", "cooked twice", first sauteed, then simmered.[3]
Others have suggested that bisque derives from the Norman word for "sour drink".[4]
Bisque was originally made fromgame,[5] such aspigeon, and a pigeon bisque was listed inLe Cuisinier françois, byFrançois Pierre La Varenne.[6] It consisted of a soup of truffled pigeons, blanched and cooked in a flavored broth, served on slices of bread soaked in broth and garnished withcockscombs, sweetbreads , lamb jus, mushrooms, pistachios and lemon. The writerAntoine Furetière also defined bisque in hisDictionnaire universel, published in 1690, as being made from pigeons, chicken, beatilles, mutton juice, and other "good ingredients, which is only served on the table of the Great Lords". He gives as etymology: "This word in this sense comes from bis cotìa, because bisque is made from several beatilles, it is necessary to do several separate and repeated cookings, before giving it the final cooking and perfection" , before adding that "we call fish bisque, that which is made with minced carp, their eggs and milk, and with crayfish".[7]
After this, it became more common to make bisque out of seafood, leading historians to speculate it was popularised by fishermen, lending credence to the theory of the term's etymology originating from the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of France.[8] Nowadays, this soup is typically made fromlobster,crayfish,crab orprawns. A new evolution of the concept today tends to apply the term "bisque" to creamy soups in general, regardless of whether they contain seafood, with shellfish being substituted with pre-cooked vegetables, such as squash, tomato, mushroom or red pepper, which are pureed in a food processor or a vegetable mill. It is also common nowadays to thicken it with rice.
Bisque is a method of extracting flavor from crustaceans not perfect enough to send to market. The shellfish are first gently sautéed in their shells, then simmered in white wine and aromatic ingredients before the purée is made. This is then strained through achinois to extract thecoulis, which is thickened with cream to achieve the consistency of avelouté . It can also be thickened withrice, which can be strained, leaving the starch in the cream, or mashed with it..Julia Child remarked: "Do not wash anything off until the soup is done because you will be using the same utensils repeatedly and you don't want any marvelous tidbits of flavor losing themselves down the drain."[9] Orange vegetables, such as pumpkin or carrots, are also often used in bisques.
Lobster bisque is typically made from its shells, but to economise on meat use, some chefs such as Child have used the tail, claws, and liver for the dish as well. Though it would have originated in France, lobster and crawfish bisque became popular inLouisiana, as part ofCajun cuisine.
| Fish | |
|---|---|
| Shellfish | |
| Other seafood | |
| Processed seafood | |
| Seafood dishes | |
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