Creole Crab Bisque Recipes

CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Stir in the bouillon, cream, crab, mushrooms, basil, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with remaining Creole seasoning and pepper if desired.

CREOLE CRAB BURGERS

Steps:

• Stir together crabmeat, mayonnaise, scallions, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a bowl until just combined. Form into 4 (1-inch-thick) patties (3 1/2 inches in diameter; patties will be soft but will firm up when fried). Spread remaining cup bread crumbs on a plate, then dredge patties in crumbs, knocking off excess, and transfer to a platter.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry patties, turning over once, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Assemble burgers with buns and accompaniments.

BLUE CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Crabs: Preheat oven to 425 F. Place crabs on a roasting pan and bake in the oven about 30 minutes, until deep red and slightly browned. In a stockpot set over medium heat, add olive oil and roasted crabs, breaking them up with a wooden spoon as they cook, 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery (the "holy trinity" of Cajun cooking) and stir, cooking just till the vegetables soften, 5 minutes.
• Stock: Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Turn heat to high and cook 6-8 minutes, until the wine has nearly evaporated. Add tomato paste and water. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer, 45 minutes.
• Bisque: Remove the crab shells from the stock and discard. (If you miss a couple small pieces of shell, don't worry: they'll get strained out later.) Ladle the stock into the blender, then add the juice of half a lemon and ¾ cup bread cubes. Season with a big pinch of salt and a small pinch of pepper. Cover and let sit so the bread can absorb some of the liquid, 30-60 seconds. Blend on low speed (to avoid splattering hot liquid) for 30 seconds. As the soup blends, turn to high to emulsify, 1 more minute. Taste to adjust for seasoning and texture-the soup should coat the back of a spoon. Add remaining bread, small pinches of salt and pepper, and blend on high to further thicken and emulsify, 1½ more minutes. Taste again for seasoning, then strain through a chinois to remove any small shell pieces, using the back of a ladle to push the soup through into a bowl.
• Assembly: Ladle bisque into individual serving bowls. Chop chives into ½-inch lengths (you should have about a ½ cup total). Garnish each bowl with crab meat and chives. Serve immediately.

CORN AND CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook until soft and translucent. Pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir corn into boiling broth. Simmer about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low.
• Remove 1 cup of soup, and set aside to cool slightly. Then pour into a food processor. Pour in half-and-half. Puree for 30 to 45 seconds, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together flour and milk. Slowly stir into simmering soup. Stirring constantly, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in pureed mixture.
• Reduce heat to low, stir in crab meat, and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

CREOLE SHRIMP AND LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Remove lobster meat from shell; coarsely chop and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
• Add lobster meat and shrimp. Stir in half-and-half and Creole seasoning; cook for 10 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile cut out the center portion of a round loaf of bread. Brush with olive oil and place on a sturdy cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes to seal bowl.
• Ladle soup into bread bowl and sprinkle on parmesan and parsley if desired.
• Serve immediately.

CAJUN CORN AND CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; then gradually whisk in the flour. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, whisking constantly, until a golden roux forms; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine the onion, garlic, and celery and cook 1 minute. Add the Cajun seasoning to taste. Stir in the broth, corn, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the milk, cream, and liquid crab boil. When the mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer 7 minutes. Stir in the roux, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending thoroughly. Continue to cook, on low heat, whisking until mixture thickens. Stir in crabmeat, green onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 6 to 8 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

CREOLE CRAB-MEAT SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the zest from 1 lemon in one long strip, if possible, with a vegetable peeler; set aside. Juice the peeled lemon. Thinly slice the remaining lemon into 4 to 6 pieces; set aside for garnish.
• Melt the butter in a deep, large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the stock and turn the heat up to medium-high. When the mixture boils, turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the bay leaf and the rest of the herbs, the lemon zest strip and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Add the crab meat and simmer gently until the soup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne and more lemon juice, if needed. Discard the bay leaf and parsley and marjoram sprigs. Add another tablespoon of fresh mint at the last minute. After you spoon the soup into bowls, top each serving with a lemon slice.

CORN AND CRAB BISQUE, NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

Steps:

• In a saute pan, make the blonde roux first. Melt butter on low-medium heat, then add flour and wisk continuosly for about 10 minutes until it starts to turn light blonde color and smells a little 'nutty'. Time may vary; it's more about the color and smell.
• Add roux in a cold stock pot to stop the cooking, and add cold chicken stock and corn. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to simmer, add fresh garlic and garlic flakes, thyme, and rosemary (if desired). Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
• Add cream, crab, cajun seasoning, crab boil seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes.
• Add half the green onion, and half the parsley, mix and serve. Garnish with remaining green onion and parsley.
• Optional: can add gouda, cheddar, or blue cheese for little kick!