Prawn Bisque, Cold-Start Thermomix Method

Name: Prawn Bisque, Cold-Start Thermomix Method
Yield: About 6 starter portions
Ingredients: from 1 kg whole prawns Prawn heads and shells, rinsed and well drained; 30 ml Olive oil; 120 g Onion, roughly chopped; 80 g Carrot, roughly chopped; 60 g Celery, roughly chopped; 10 g Garlic, crushed; 30 g Tomato paste; 80 ml Dry white wine; 1 each Bay leaf; 2 g Fresh thyme; 3 g Black peppercorns; 1.2 kg Crushed ice; 30 g Unsalted butter; 150 ml Cream; 12 each Cooked prawn tails, for serving

Bisque di gamberi, estrazione a freddo

A silky prawn bisque using a crushed-ice cold start for clean shellfish extraction, then reduction and cream for body.

Silky prawn bisque with cooked prawn tails, chive oil and micro herbs.

A silky prawn bisque using a crushed-ice cold start for clean shellfish extraction, then reduction and cream for body.

Written for about 6 starter portions

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Ingredients

Serves

Bisque

Prawn heads and shells, rinsed and well drainedfrom 1 kg whole prawns
Olive oil30 ml
Onion, roughly chopped120 g
Carrot, roughly chopped80 g
Celery, roughly chopped60 g
Garlic, crushed10 g
Tomato paste30 g
Dry white wine80 ml
Bay leaf1 each
Fresh thyme2 g
Black peppercorns3 g
Crushed ice1.2 kg
Unsalted butter30 g
Cream150 ml
Cooked prawn tails, for serving12 each

Method

Optional for deeper flavour: roast the heads and shells at 200°C with a little olive oil for 8-10 minutes until lightly coloured.
Place the shells, onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the Thermomix bowl. Chop briefly, 3 seconds at Speed 5, to break the shells without pulverising them.
Add the oil and sauté for 6 minutes at 120°C, Speed 1. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more.
Add wine and cook 3 minutes at Varoma temperature, Speed 1, without the measuring cup.
Add bay, thyme, peppercorns and crushed ice. Cook 25-30 minutes at 98-100°C, Reverse, Soft Speed.
Strain through a fine chinois, pressing lightly. Do not force shell solids through the sieve.
Reduce the strained liquid until about 700-800 ml remains.
Add cream and butter. Heat gently to about 90°C and blend briefly only after the shell solids are removed.
Season and serve in warmed bowls with prawn tails and a restrained garnish.

Chef’s notes

A finished bisque should be silky and opaque, not crystal clear, so the egg-white clarification from the source has been removed.
Do not high-speed blend prawn shells into the liquid because fine shell particles can make the soup gritty.
The ice is a cold-start extraction medium, not a guarantee of clarity.

Allergens and diet

Shellfish. Milk. Alcohol if wine is used.

Last refined · September 2026