I love crab bisque and when I make this recipe I make a load of it! It freezes very well, and I give it to friends at work and the kids! I have to say the longer this recipe sits the better it tastes! The flavors come together so well, it is intense flavor and gets more enhanced the longer it rests. Although this recipe takes a full half day to cook it is well worth the effort I can assure you. I have been making this for years and when I first started preparing the recipe, I chopped everything by hand. I have learned that a ninja or a bullet can save you a great deal time in the preparation of this marvelous dish. For instance, I made a massive batch, one whole bag of baby carrot, one large celery heart (leaves on the stalks included) and the tomatoes! All I did was stuff them in my ninja and the work was done! If I had to chop them all the work would have been tripled. You may be asking why use the leaves on the stalks of celery? The leaves contain the most vitamin C, calcium and potassium of the entire plant. The leaves can be used like parsley when seasoning dishes. They also can be mixed with other greens to make salad. However, most folks cut off the leaves and throw them away! Stop! Don’t! They add a nice backdrop of flavor to the soup and should be utilized whenever you can. Oh ok my mini tangent is over back to the previously scheduled recipe… So I was saying…I would cook this for a minimum of three hours. When I told my family I was making it; all day they just kept asking if it was done, it is for dinner and I am getting asked at 1 in the afternoon. The nice thing with this as with most simmering recipes the house starts filling up with those amazing smells that make your tongue salivate. The wait was certainly worthwhile for all; I served this with a warm baguette and some nice white wine. Enjoy the recipe and maybe next time I will do it as lobster bisque!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers (about 2 large)
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of old bay seasoning
8 roma tomatoes diced with juice
3 8-ounce bottles clam juice
2 cup dry white wine
2 cup whipping cream
12 ounces crabmeat and then 7 oz of lump crab

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers, 3/4 cup green onions, celery, carrots and red onion and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.

Stir in tarragon and cayenne. Mix in tomatoes with juices, clam juice and wine.

Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors, stirring intermittently. Stir in 12 oz crab meat (I always add more, but that is a personal preference). Simmer for 20 minutes.Puree the “soup” in a blender then return to the stove and simmer on low for as long as you like to let the flavors marry. I do a bare minimum of three hours but you can do as low as 20 minutes. (Be forewarned, hot liquids in a blender will expand, don’t hurt yourself or make a catastrophe of the kitchen)

Add cream and simmer 20 minutes longer.

Add 7 oz lump crab for texture & cook until crab is heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and old bay seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped green onions and serve up with some bread and a nice white wine.

Bon appétit

LauraLovingLife
“I think every woman should have a blowtorch.”
― Julia Child

Related articles

• Manhattan Clam Chowder (kristoscooks.wordpress.com)
• New England Clam Chowder with Razor Clams (huntingchef.com)