Salmon bisque with fennel bulbs, a French classic using local ingredients. (Photo courtesy of Petty Elliott)
Bisque is a smooth, creamy, flavorsome soup of French origin. In a classic French bisque, shellfish are sauteed lightly with white wine, cognac and other ingredients to infuse flavor before fresh cream is added to round it out. Old French methods involved using short-grain rice to give a thicker texture. The rice is then strained and cream is added. These days, bisque can be made with different ingredients, including roasted and pureed vegetables or salmon.
Not so long ago, salmon was a rare luxury for most of us in Jakarta. These days we can easily buy imported, farm-raised salmon at our local supermarket, although wild salmon is not yet available.
Salmon is very versatile; it can be smoked, pan-fried, grilled, poached or stewed. Fresh salmon can be prepared whole or cut into fillet steaks. I recommend going to a Japanese supermarket to buy sashimi-quality salmon for any dish.
For an Indonesian twist, salmon can be pan-fried with garlic, sweet soya sauce, chili and lime juice; or prepared as salmon soup with lemongrass, chili, tomato and basil; or pan-fried with dabu-dabu, a spicy sauce from Manado. Though it is classified as an oily fish, salmon is considered healthy as it is high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
For this week’s recipe, I have salmon bisque without white wine and cognac. I prefer to use salmon that still has the bones rather than salmon fillet; not only are the cuts much cheaper, but the soft, edible bones add flavor as well. Sashimi-quality salmon is available at most supermarket fish counters and the delicious dish — perfect for a rainy day — is very simple to make.
Salmon bisque with fennel bulbs
This dish has a creamy flavor with a touch of local ingredients, including bunga lawang or star anise, and chili flakes. The star anise and chili are a wonderful combination. The dish serves four.
Ingredients:
30g butter; 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 1 large onion, 1 medium-sized fennel bulb, trimmed and finely sliced; 1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely; 400gr salmon bones with extra salmon flesh attached to the bones; 2 star anise; 1 teaspoon of dried chilies flakes and 1 teaspoon to sprinkle; 1 teaspoon of tomato paste, diluted with 50ml of hot water; 150ml of cream; salt and white pepper to taste; chopped or young dill to garnish.
Directions:
1. Place the salmon bones in a pan and add one liter of water; bring the water to a boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the bones and set the stock aside for later.
3. Fork the salmon meat off the bones and return the bones to the stock, then simmer for another 15 minutes; strain the stock.
4. Heat a large pan before adding butter and oil; add the chopped onion and pan fry until soft for around 5-7 minutes in low heat.
5. Add the stock and chopped carrots, sliced fennel, chilies flakes, star anise and the salmon flesh; bring to a boil, then simmer for around 30 minutes; season with salt and white pepper.
6. Discard the star anise; transfer the mixture into a food processor and process finely; transfer the mixture back into the pan and reheat.
7. Turn the heat to low and add cream, then bring the cream to boiling point. Check the final seasoning.
8. Divide into four individual warm soups bowls; sprinkle some dill and serve with crusty bread.
The post Food for Thought: Rainy Day Out? Warm Up With a Creamy French Salmon Bisque appeared first on The Jakarta Globe.