from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
A crab bisque.
www.flickr.com/photos/gpeters/3110265844/
Bisques
began as rich fish soups, changing with the years to pureed shellfish soups
that may include white wine, fresh cream, or crème fraîche; however, if the fish's texture is right, a fish
bisque may still be on the menu. Shellfish bisques can be distinguished by their
texture and then vegetable bisques and bisque sauces with the right textures
were added to many menus.
A few of the bisques that may be on your menu:
Bisque de Crevettes –
A shrimp bisque.
Bisque d'Écrevisses –
A crayfish bisque.
Bisque de Homard -
A lobster bisque.
Bisque de Tomate de Vigne Grillée – A tomato bisque made with grilled vine tomatoes, only partly pureed so that a bisque texture remains.
Bisque de Rascasse et sa Rouille - A bisque made with the scorpionfish (sea robin) fish: served with a spicy rouille sauce on the side. You add the rouille to your taste. The rascasse is one of France’s tastiest and firm-fleshed fish caught in the Meditteranean and also an essential part of a real Bouillabaisse. Unlike a real scorpion fish, it has no stinger in its tail, rather it has poisonous spines; fishermen and women pick them out of the net wearing gloves.
Red Scorpion fish.
Chefs know they need to create interest for new dishes, especially dishes that use ingredients prepared differently, Here are grilled vine tomatoes presented in a manner rarely seen in bisques. The chef has inferred a connection to the texture of a seafood bisque and that will have French diners thinking, wondering and then, probably try it.
A Tomato bisque.
www.flickr.com/photos/dongkwan/921915567/
At this point, I should emphasize how educated French diners are. They begin learning to appreciate food at an early age. In State-run schools, there is a three-course meal every day, accompanied only by water. The meal must take a minimum of thirty minutes and the children know what they are eating.
Bisque d'étrilles - A bisque made with the crabe étrille also called the crabe batailler.
This is a small but tasty crab, the velvet swimming crab. While they are one of those tastiest crabs they are considered too small to be served on their own as they are rarely more than 7 cms (3") across and 50% of that is the shell. Nevertheless, unnamed on most menus, the velvet swimming crab is used to add flavor to crab soups and or fish soups. In this menu listing these tasty, small, crabs are honored by being offered in a soup where they play the leading role. (The most popular crab in France is the larger edible crabe tourteau, the edible brown crab).
This is a small but tasty crab, the velvet swimming crab. While they are one of those tastiest crabs they are considered too small to be served on their own as they are rarely more than 7 cms (3") across and 50% of that is the shell. Nevertheless, unnamed on most menus, the velvet swimming crab is used to add flavor to crab soups and or fish soups. In this menu listing these tasty, small, crabs are honored by being offered in a soup where they play the leading role. (The most popular crab in France is the larger edible crabe tourteau, the edible brown crab).
The crabe etrille – the velvet swimming crab.
Photograph courtesy of cd100
Connected posts:
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Copyright 2010, 2014, 2018
For information on the unpublished book behind this blog contact Bryan Newman
at
behindtheFrenchmenu@gmail.com
