Haricot Soup With Tiger Prawns

Haricot Soup with Tiger Prawns
Serves 6

Ingredients:

* 800ml Chicken stock
* 250g white dried haricot beans, soaked overnight
* 1 small onion, peeled
* 1 carrot, peeled
* 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bayleaf and parsley tied together)
* 100g fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 50g butter plus extra knob ice-cold for serving
* 150ml double cream
* 12 – 18 tiger prawns (2 -3 per serving)

* Sea Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil

Method:

Soak the beans overnight. Drain the beans and transfer to saucepan. Cover by about 5cm with salted cold water. Add the
onion, carrot and bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for a
further 30 -35 minutes until the beans are soft.

Drain the mixture and remove the onion, carrot and bouquet garni. Remove about 100g of the beans with a slotted spoon and
reserve for the garnish. Blend the remainder to a fine puree in a liquidiser.

Blanch the prawns for 30 seconds in a boiling court bouillon (2 parts water, 1/4 part vinegar, carrot, onion celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt). Peel the prawns and remove the dark vein along the back. Cut each into approximately three bite-size pieces and set aside.

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil for 5 minutes to reduce, then add to the bean puree. Blend and return to the pan.
Whisk in the cream then, using a hand blender, whisk in the ice-cold butter and froth up the soup.

Sauté the mushrooms briefly in butter until just beginning to colour, add the prawns and then the reserved beans. Cook
together for a further 3-4 minutes before dividing between warmed soup bowls. Pour over the soup and serve immediately!