1/4 pound cooked crawfish heads and shells from the tails
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brandy
CRAWFISH BROTH:
3 to 4 pounds crawfish heads and shells from tails
1/4 cup safflower, grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 fennel bulb, chopped with fronds
2 large carrots, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 ounce dried matsutake mushrooms (optional)
1 6- ounce can tomato paste
1 cup dry vermouth
5 bay leaves
BISQUE:
6 tablespoons crawfish butter, divided (see above)
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons vermouth or brandy
5 cups crayfish broth (see above)
1/3 cup rice
1 pound crawfish meat
2 tablespoons heavy cream, or to taste
Salt to taste
Chopped dill, parsley or chives for garnish
BUTTER: To make the crawfish butter, smash the shells to a pulp. This can be done in a mortar and pestle, or in a strong blender or food processor -- or with a mallet in a bowl. You really want to mash everything well so you get more flavor from the shells. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the shells to it. Cover and put into a 170°F oven and let this cook for 90 minutes, stirring now and again. Strain the butter through a fine-meshed sieve that has a paper towel set inside it; this filters all the debris out. Pour into a container and let it cool. TIP: For long storage, let the butter solidify and pop it out of the container, leaving behind the gellified liquid at the bottom of the container. Leaving this in contact with the butter over time can make it got rancid. BROTH: To make the broth, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the crawfish shells and smash them to bits with a potato masher. Crush and stir them as they cook until they are all in pieces. Let this cook for a few minutes, then mix in the fennel, carrot and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the garlic, dried mushrooms and tomato paste. Turn the heat as high as it will go and stir-fry this for 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and stir well. Let this boil for 1 minute, then add enough cool water to cover the shells by 1 inch. Add the bay leaves and let this simmer gently for 90 minutes to 2 hours. Do not let it boil. Strain the broth by pouring it through a fine-meshed sieve with a paper towel set inside. Set aside or chill quickly and store. BISQUE: Heat 2 tablespoons crawfish butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until soft and translucent. Do not let it brown. Pour in the vermouth or brandy and let this boil for a minute. Add the rice and crawfish broth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Simmer until the rice is soft, about 25 minutes. Add salt to taste. Pour the soup into a blender along with 1/4 pound of crayfish meat. Puree, in batches if you need to. Wipe out the soup pot and return the pureed soup to it. Heat the bisque over medium-low heat just to the steaming point. Add the rest of the crawfish meat and heat for 2-3 minutes. Mix in the heavy cream, then stir in the remaining crayfish butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve at once, garnished with the herbs. Serve this with crusty bread and a green salad as a main course, or as part of a larger meal. Cajuns make a slightly different version of this bisque and serve it with a spoonful of rice in the center of the bowl, which is another serving option.