Crayfish Bisque with Chervil

4 crayfish
2 tbsp rice bran oil
200 g butter
1 large onion, peeled & 2 cm dice
1 leek, washed & 2 cm dice
1 large carrot, peeled & 2 cm dice
2 stalks celery, chopped thin
6 cloves garlic, peeled
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
3 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup brandy
4 litres water
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chervil leaves to serve

Cook crayfish for 6-7 minutes in plenty of salted boiling water then plunge into iced water until completely cold. Remove heads to use for the soup and reserve tails.
Heat oil and butter in a large stock-pot. Put crayfish heads on a tea towel, fold over and smash a little. Put smashed heads in the stock-pot. Fry until fragrant and dark brown, about 15-20 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic and SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste then stir-fry another 10 minutes. Add tomato paste then stir-fry 5 more minutes. Add wine and brandy, reduce by half then add water, bay leaf and more SIDS SALT & PEPPER.
Bring the soup to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes until taste is good. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
Pass the soup through a fine mouli, pressing out as much flavour as possible from the cray heads and vegetables. What is left in the mouli should be a dry mass to be discarded. (It is fairly hard work)
Return the soup to a smaller pot and gently reheat. Taste and adjust seasoning with SIDS SALT & PEPPER.
Cut the crayfish tails with scissors to remove the tail meat. Slice the meat and add to the soup.
Serve in shallow soup bowls with a sprinkle of chervil. Serve the claws in a seperate bowl.