Crab and Corn Bisque
While a warm bowl of bisque may not appeal to many of you this time of year, I can’t think of a better way to bring together two of the summer’s most appealing ingredients, Louisiana blue crab and corn. Each serving just screams, “ Sweet sunshine!” And if you already have some rich seafood stock socked away, it will come together quickly.
Like most soups, this Crab and Corn Bisque will improve in the fridge for a day or two. And because it can be successfully frozen, I highly recommend doubling the recipe so a few months down the road you can call on these bright, summery flavors to chase away the winter chill. Oh, and if you’re looking for a quick way to shuck corn, check out this interesting video from the editors of America’s Test Kitchen that I came across on HuffPost Taste. I tried it for this recipe and it worked. Just be sure to let the corn cool a bit before you handle it. Even two minutes in the micro can make the cobs too hot to handle.
Crab and Corn Bisque Recipe
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6 ears fresh corn
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups warm seafood stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon liquid crab boil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
Salt and black pepper
Remove husks and silk from corn and cut off the kernels. After the cob has been stripped, use the back of a knife to scrape any remaining pulp and “corn milk” off the cob (this adds additional flavor to the finished dish). In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and corn; cook until tender. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine and cook until alcohol has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Gradually add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add heavy cream, green onions, thyme, basil, liquid crab boil and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and puree half the soup with an immersion blender (or process three large ladles full in a blender). Return soup to medium heat and gently fold in crabmeat; cook until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 6-8 servings.
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