Prawn Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of prawns in a vegetable-based stock flavoured with prawn shells finished with sherry, and stock. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Prawn Soup.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Prawn Soup that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 172.—PRAWN SOUP.
This is made in the same manner as crayfish soup, No. 171, using fifty prawns for the purpose instead of crayfish.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 carrot, scraped and finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 head of celery, finely diced
4 shallots, finely diced
1 bayleaf
1 sprig of thyme
6 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
180g plain flour
1.8l stock (or water)
Melt the butter in a pan, add the carrot, onion, celery, shallots, bayleaf, thyme and parsley and fry gently until the vegetables are lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Scatter the flour over the top and mix in to form a roux. Now beat in the stock with a spoon until smooth and slowly bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. In the meantime, combine the prawns, sherry and stock in a pan. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the prawns are done. Drain the prawns and carefully remove the meat from the shells. Add the heads and tail shell pieces to a mortar and pound to a paste. Add this to the stock and cook for 5 minutes. Take the stock from the heat and rub through a fine-meshed sieve then pour he liquid into a clean pan.
Allow the stock to heat through then skim the surface and stir in the cayenne pepper, lemon juice, anchovy essence and sherry. Heat through once more then pour into a warmed tureen containing the prawn meat. Serve immediately.
