Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• sliced
• 1 carrot
• diced
• 1 celery stick
• diced
• 2kg/4lb 8oz crayfish (around 20 medium crayfish)
• shelled
• tail meat reserved for soup
• 250ml/9fl oz white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• bunch of dill
• stems only
• few sprigs parsley
• 3 garlic cloves
• peeled
• left whole
• ½ lemon
• zest only
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 30g/1oz butter
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 750g/1lb 10oz potatoes
• cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 4 leeks
• washed
• sliced into rounds
• dill leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tsp crème fraîche

Directions

• First make the stock. Put the olive oil in a large
• heavy-based saucepan. Add the vegetables and sauté briskly until starting to caramelise. Add the crayfish shells and stir until any liquid evaporates off and they turn a deep red.
• Pour over the white wine and leave to bubble for a couple of minutes. Pour in 1½ litres/2½ pints water and the remaining stock ingredients. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain and set aside.
• For the chowder
• melt half of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the potatoes and leeks and stir to mix. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil
• turn down the heat and simmer
• uncovered
• for about 15 minutes. At this point the vegetables should be tender. Stir in the dill leaves.
• Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan. Season the reserved crayfish tails with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes and add to the chowder. Divide the chowder between 4 bowls and top with a teaspoon of crème fraîche
• serve immediatedly.