Description
Creamy crab and shrimp bisque is a rich and velvety soup that combines tender crab meat and succulent shrimp in a smooth, creamy base, enhanced with aromatic vegetables and herbs.
Ingredients
- Fresh crab meat: 1 cup, cooked and shredded
- Shrimp: 1 cup, peeled and deveined
- Heavy cream: 2 cups
- Seafood stock: 4 cups
- Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
- Celery: 2 stalks, finely chopped
- Carrots: 1 medium, finely chopped
- Fresh thyme: 1 teaspoon, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- Bay leaves: 2
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper: to taste
- Sherry: 1/4 cup (optional)
- Fresh parsley: for garnish (optional)
- Red pepper flakes: for a spicy kick (optional)
- Lemon juice: a squeeze for brightness (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the seafood by ensuring shrimp are peeled and deveined, and crab meat is cooked and shredded.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté onion, celery, and carrots for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes before pouring in the seafood stock. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or countertop blender.
- Stir in heavy cream and bring to a simmer, then fold in crab meat and shrimp, cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add sherry if desired. Serve warm, garnished with parsley.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking the shrimp to prevent toughness.
- Always taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
- Do not skip the blending step for a creamy texture.
- Experiment with fresh herbs and spices to enhance flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: creamy crab and shrimp bisque, seafood soup, bisque recipe, crab soup, shrimp soup