Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque

         When you hear bisque, I bet you think of a fancy restaurant with an impressive bowl of deliciousness. What if I was to tell you that I have a recipe that rivals those expensive bowls at a restaurant? This is not as difficult to make as you would think it is to make. This dish is one that you can make it all yours. It is as customizable as you want it to be.

            There are two ways you could actually make this. One will allow you to have this on the table within half an hour. The other way will only take an hour. Either way, with this recipe your dish will rival the best of the best 5* restaurants.

            This will be made using easy to find ingredients and a few items you probably have in your pantry already. You can also make this in a single pot. No muss, no fuss.

If you want to serve this in a fancier setting for a party, you could make individual bread bowls. This gives them some bread to dip in the bisque that will soak up all those good flavors. Seafood Bisque can be served as a prelude (appetizer) to the main meal, it can also be served as a side dish, or placed as the main course for dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            What seafood do I need?

You can customize this bisque with your favorite choices of seafood. The most common is made with crab, shrimp and lobster.

            What does ‘Bisque’ mean?

A bisque is a fancy word for creamy and pureed soup. The true meaning of the word is highly debatable. It was originally a soup dish made by fishermen, others state that it means a dish that is cooked twice.

            Why is this dish an orange color?

The reddish orange coloring comes from the cream and tomato paste.

            What is the difference between Bisque and Soup?

Not a whole lot in actuality. Bisque is a creamy soup base and soup is mainly a broth with meat and vegetables.

What do you need to make Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque

            8 ounces crab meat

            8 ounces cooked shrimp, cut in pieces

            4 tbsp butter

            ⅓ cup green onions, chopped

            ⅓ cup celery, chopped

            2 cups milk

            1 ½ cups heavy cream

            1 tbsp tomato paste

            3 tbsp flour

            Salt and pepper to taste

            1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

How to make Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque

FIRST STEP:

Over medium high heat, melt the butter in a saucepan

Add in the celery and the green onion and cook until they soften

SECOND STEP:

Stir in the flour, cook for another minute

a)

b)

Heat the milk until it is warm

THIRD STEP:

Add to the saucepan and whisk until all lumps are gone

Whisk in the Old Bay Seasoning, Salt and pepper, heavy cream and the tomato paste

FOURTH STEP:

Lower the temp, cook until it is simmering,

Cook until the bisque begins to thicken

FIFTH STEP:

Stir in the shrimp and crab meat, cooking until it is heated through

a)

b)

Top with fresh parsley for a garnish and serve

Enjoy!