Recipe: Crab Bisque

On a cold winter’s day nothing is more satisfying that a rich delicious soup… and Crab Bisque fits the bill. I love to make soups in the winter… they make the perfect lunch.

Rich doesn’t have to mean fat laden… there are ways to cut the fat… oh make no mistake… this soup has fat in it.. it’s just a question of how much.

I used butter… you can use a low fat margarine… I did use a ¼ cup of heavy cream to add to the creaminess at the end… but … the base of this soup is chicken broth and Fat Free Half and Half… which cuts the fat considerably.

TIPS

My recipe uses shallots… I highly recommend you use them and not onions… shallots have a lighter flavor.. if you do decide to substitute onions, consider using less… you don’t want the onion flavor to over-power the crab.

I finely chopped the shallots and carrots in my mini processor… you want them chopped very finely… almost minced.

I used my immersion blender to blend the ingredients and make the soup creamier.

As I mentioned before I added about ¼ cup heavy cream.. in my opinion there is really no true substitute for heavy cream when you are making something creamy.. the answer is use substitutes but the add a little of the real thing to add the full flavor and texture.

I added the sherry when I was cooking the soup… so there was only a hint of the flavor left at the end… if you’re like me and like the flavor of sherry in your seafood bisques.. add a shot (about an ounce) at the very end… to use Rachael Ray’s phrase… eyeball it.

Chopped chives sprinkle on the final product is like the icing on the cake.. don’t leave it out.

Keep warm with soup this winter.. and start with this delicious Crab Bisque.






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Recipe: Crab Bisque

All you need:

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped shallots
½ cup finely chopped carrots
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup Fat Free Half and Half
½ cup sherry
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ small can of tomato paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 oz flaked crab meat or imitation crab meat
Generous pinch of cayenne
White pepper and salt to taste
¼ cup heavy cream
1 shot of sherry
Chopped chives

All you need to do:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet.

Add the chopped shallots and carrots. Cook about 5 minutes over medium high heat until tender.

In a soup pot melt the 6 tablespoons of butter.

Add the flour and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes to cook off the flour taste.

Whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth. Whisk until smooth.
Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, cayenne Half and Half and crab meat.

Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency. (Or blend in a blender filling the blender only half full at a time, put the lid on and cover with a dish towel and blend… be very careful that the top doesn’t pop off and the splashing contents burn you).

Add white pepper and salt to taste and adjust seasonings. Add the ¼ cup of heavy cream and a shot of sherry and stir well.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives.