Description
Is there anything more luxurious or comforting than a steaming bowl of rich, creamy seafood bisque? This easy recipe unlocks the secrets to achieving that deep, complex flavor without simmering shells for hours. By building layers of flavor with aromatic vegetables and tomato paste, we create a soup base that tastes incredibly rich. Finished with cream and packed with sweet crab and tender shrimp, this bisque is perfect for a special occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 pound Cooked Shrimp, peeled, deveined, & chopped
- 1/2 pound Cooked Crab Meat, shells removed
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Carrot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 4 cups Seafood or Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tbsp Dry Sherry (optional)
- To taste Salt
- To taste Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- For garnish Fresh Herbs (parsley, chives, or dill)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Build the Flavor Base: Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the tomato paste to darken slightly.
- Create the Roux: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables. Stir continuously for a full 2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste out. The mixture will look like a thick paste.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Slowly pour in the broth, whisking constantly as you add the first cup to prevent lumps. Add the rest of the broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and let it bubble gently for 10-12 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add Sherry and Cream: If using sherry, stir it in and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring gently. Do not let the bisque boil after this step.
- Gently Add Seafood: Gently fold in the chopped cooked shrimp and the cooked crab meat. Let the seafood warm through in the hot bisque for about 5 minutes.
- Season and Serve: Taste the bisque and season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook Aromatics Slowly: Cooking the onion, carrot, and celery gently over moderate heat allows them to release their sugars and develop a deep, foundational flavor for the bisque.
- Cook the Tomato Paste: Briefly cooking the tomato paste intensifies its flavor, removes any raw taste, and adds significant depth and umami to the bisque.
- Don’t Boil the Cream: Do not let the bisque boil after adding the heavy cream, as this can cause it to curdle or separate. You just want to heat it through gently.
- Optional Blending: For an even smoother, more traditional bisque texture, you can carefully blend about half the soup base (before adding cream or seafood) in a blender and return it to the pot. Be very careful when blending hot liquids.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup, Bisque, Main Course, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1350 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 190 mg
