Crab and Corn Bisque
Creamy and Savory Corn & Crab Bisque
Bisque is a creamy, well-seasoned soup that originated in France. It includes the strained broth of crustaceans such as lobster, shrimp, crab and crawfish.
This delicious delicate soup is an elegant dish for the holidays or the New Orleans Réveillon [REH-vee-on] dinner, which means “awakening” in French. The Creoles families in the early1800s started the tradition of gathering on Christmas Eve to attend midnight mass and go home for a long dinner. After fasting all day, a large meal of special dishes such as oyster gumbo, various meats including grillades (meat in a rich gravy), egg dishes, and cake with cream sauce were served into the early morning hours. This tradition became less popular by the mid-19th century. But in the late 1980s, it was brought back by the French Quarter Festivals, Inc., nonprofit organization, suggested resuming this tradition with New Orleanians at restaurants instead of their homes. Currently, many restaurants have special Réveillon dinner menus for the weeks around the holidays.
Supplies
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn (cooked and cut off the cob)
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- ½ pound Gulf shrimp
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup finely diced green and red peppers
- ¼ cup minced garlic
- 1 cup all – purpose flour
- 2 ½ quarts shellfish stock or chicken stock
- 1 pint heavy cream
- ½ cup diced green onions
- ½ cup parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic®
- Paul Prudhomme’s New Orleans Magic®
Preparation
Peel shrimp and season with Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic and store in refrigerator.
In heavy gauge pot or ceramic lined pot, heat one stick of butter and sauté celery for a few minutes. Add the onions and peppers while continuing to sauté the vegetables. Once the vegetables are soft add the corn and cook for a few minutes.
Make the roux in a large saucepan. Heat one stick of butter and then add flour. Whisk constantly until it becomes thick, do not let it turn brown. Spoon the roux into the soft vegetables (celery, onion and peppers) into the pot with the veggies and corn and mix well. It will be thick. Then slowly add the seafood stock or chicken stock while stirring. Add Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic and New Orleans Magic. Add green onions and parsley. Allow it to come to a boil then decrease heat to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Slowly add heavy cream and stir to incorporate thoroughly and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook for about 10 minutes. Fold in lump crabmeat so as not to break up the crabmeat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
*****add link to Roux recipe*****
Enjoy Keeping It Creole!
