Creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque

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Of course! A Creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque is the epitome of luxurious, comforting soup. It’s rich, velvety, and packed with delicate seafood flavor.

This recipe breaks down the process into manageable steps to create an restaurant-quality bisque at home.

Creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque

This recipe uses a classic technique of creating a seafood stock and a roux for a deeply flavorful and perfectly thick base.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the Seafood Stock (Optional but Recommended):

· 1 tbsp olive oil
· Shells from the shrimp (see below)
· 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
· 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
· ½ onion, roughly chopped
· 2 cloves garlic, smashed
· 1 tbsp tomato paste
· 4 cups water or store-bought seafood stock
· 1 bay leaf
· A few peppercorns and parsley stems

For the Bisque:

· 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (SAVE THE SHELLS for stock)
· 8 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
· 4 tbsp unsalted butter
· 1 leek (white and light green part only), finely chopped
· ½ onion, finely diced
· 2 celery stalks, finely diced
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
· ½ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)
· 4 cups seafood stock (from above or store-bought)
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 2 tbsp tomato paste
· 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
· ½ tsp paprika (smoked paprika is excellent here)
· ¼ cup dry sherry (optional, but highly recommended)
· Salt and white pepper to taste (black pepper is fine, white is for color)
· Fresh chives or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Quick Seafood Stock (Skip if using store-bought)

  1. In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they turn pink and fragrant.
  2. Add the chopped celery, carrot, and onion. Cook for another 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Pour in the water, add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and parsley stems. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids. You should have about 3-4 cups of rich stock.

Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables

  1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
  2. Add the leek, onion, and celery. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until very soft but not browned.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Build the Roux and Base

  1. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly to create a paste (a roux). Cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  2. Slowly pour in the white wine, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. It will thicken quickly.
  3. Gradually whisk in the 4 cups of seafood stock until fully incorporated and smooth.
  4. Whisk in the tomato paste, Old Bay, and paprika.

Step 4: Simmer and Puree

  1. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it cook gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld.
  2. For a Silky Texture: Carefully ladle the soup (it will be hot) into a blender. Remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape. Blend until completely smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot.

Step 5: Finish the Bisque

  1. Return the pureed soup to the pot if you used a blender. Stir in the heavy cream and the optional dry sherry. Heat through on low, but do not boil after adding the cream.
  2. Season the soup with salt and white pepper to taste. Be careful with salt, as the crab meat may already be seasoned.

Step 6: Add the Seafood

  1. Chop the raw shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Add the chopped shrimp to the hot bisque and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque.
  3. Gently stir in the lump crab meat and heat for another minute, just until warmed through. Be gentle to keep the crab lumps intact.

Step 7: Serve

  1. Ladle the bisque into warm bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley and an extra small lump of crab meat if you’re feeling fancy.
  2. Serve immediately with crusty bread or oyster crackers.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Bisque

· Don’t Skip the Shellfish Stock: Using the shrimp shells to make a quick stock is the single biggest factor in achieving an authentic, deep seafood flavor.
· Gently Fold in the Crab: Add the crab meat at the very end and stir gently to preserve those beautiful, luxurious lumps.
· Sherry is Key: A splash of good dry sherry added at the end elevates the bisque from great to extraordinary. Add it to taste just before serving.
· Control the Thickness: If your bisque is too thick after adding the cream, thin it with a little more stock or cream until it reaches your desired consistency.
· Avoid Boiling after Dairy: Once the cream is added, keep the soup on low heat to prevent it from curdling.

Enjoy your incredibly rich, creamy, and satisfying homemade seafood bisque

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