Creamy Provencal Seafood Bisque
A refined, aromatic bisque featuring white fish, saffron, tomatoes, and a touch of cream. This elegant French-inspired soup delivers deep seafood flavor and a velvety, luxurious texture.
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, roughly chopped or substitute 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
- 1 medium white or yellow onion chopped
- 1 large stalk celery chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes chopped
- 1 pound white fish fillets roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Large pinch saffron
- 1 quart shellfish stock or 16 ounces clam juice plus 16 ounces fish stock or water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Cook the Bacon:
- Place a 6- to 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve for garnish.
Sauté the Aromatic Vegetables:
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the rendered bacon fat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent. Avoid browning. Lightly season with salt during cooking.
Add Fish, Tomatoes, and Garlic:
- Incorporate the white fish, chopped tomatoes, and garlic into the pot. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the ingredients begin to soften.
Add the Aromatics and Stock:
- Stir in the orange zest, cayenne pepper, and saffron. Pour in the shellfish stock (or the alternative stock combination). Gently bring the mixture to a simmer, ensuring it does not reach a rolling boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Purée the Soup:
- Prepare a second clean pot. Working in batches, transfer one-third of the soup into a blender and blend on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until completely smooth. Continue until all the soup has been puréed. Transfer the smooth bisque to the clean pot.
Incorporate the Cream:
- Place the pot over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Maintain gentle heat and avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
Serve:
- Ladle the hot bisque into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon or fresh dill fronds. Serve immediately with crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
To make this Creamy Provencal Seafood Bisque gluten-free, ensure that all packaged components—such as fish stock, clam juice, and bacon—are certified gluten-free. Serve the bisque with gluten-free bread or omit the bread entirely. The soup itself contains no inherent gluten as long as ingredient labels are verified.