Creamy Crab Bisque
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, diced (about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (about 4 small cloves)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
2 cups seafood stock (or clam juice)
½ cup sherry cooking wine
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb lump crab meat
2 tablespoons chives (for garnish)
Instructions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté for about 10 minutes until softened.
Stir in the flour and let it cook for a couple of minutes to remove the raw taste.
Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, seafood stock, sherry wine, bay leaves, and Old Bay seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaves, then blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a stand blender in batches until smooth.
Return the pot to heat, stir in the heavy cream, and add the crab meat. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the crab is heated through.
Serve hot, garnished with chives.
Notes:
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent hot spots and ensure even cooking.
If you don’t have seafood stock, substitute with clam juice or shrimp stock.
To make it gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
For the best flavor, use fresh lump crab meat, but canned lump crab also works.
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