Cape Crayfish Soup

2 sm Crayfish or 1 whole lobster
500 ml Fish stock
1 Carrot; diced
1 Onion; finely diced
1 Stalk celery; chopped
250 ml Water
250 ml White wine
250 ml Double cream
3 tb Tomato paste
50 ml Sherry
Salt and pepper to taste


Split crayfish in half and remove the tail meat. Wash out the bodies and break into 3 or 4 smaller pieces. Sweat off the onion, celery and carrot in white wine, adding the crayfish bodies and some water.

Allow to cook adding fish stock slowly, checking flavour as you go. Strain after about 30 or 40 minutes. Put stock back onto the stove and reduce further, stirring in the diced crayfish meat, tomato paste and cream.

Add the sherry just before serving, season and serve.