Description
Decadent Crab Bisque is a rich and creamy seafood soup blending tender lump crab meat with a flavorful base of sautéed vegetables, tomato paste, and sherry, finished with cream and aromatic spices. This classic French-American bisque is perfect for an elegant dinner or special occasion, offering a velvety texture and indulgent taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
Thickener and Flavor
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 3 cups seafood stock or chicken broth
Dairy
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Seafood and Seasoning
- 12 ounces lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add finely diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Create roux: Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the vegetables and cook while stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to form a roux, which will thicken the bisque.
- Incorporate tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute to deepen the flavor.
- Deglaze with sherry: Slowly pour in the dry sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to add richness.
- Add stock: Gradually whisk in seafood stock to ensure a smooth mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the soup slightly thickens.
- Add cream and milk: Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and whole milk, creating a creamy texture.
- Season and add crab: Mix in lump crab meat, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, optional cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes without boiling to meld flavors and warm the crab.
- Finish with lemon juice: Just before serving, stir in fresh lemon juice to brighten the bisque’s flavor.
- Optional blending: For a smoother bisque, partially blend the soup with an immersion blender before adding crab meat, or leave it chunky for a rustic texture.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the bisque into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley or chives, and serve warm with crusty bread or oyster crackers.
Notes
- For a richer seafood flavor, substitute half of the seafood stock with clam juice.
- If fresh crab is unavailable, use high-quality canned lump crab meat.
- Serve the bisque with crusty bread or oyster crackers for a complete and satisfying meal.
