Luxurious Seafood Bisque Crab Shrimp (Printable)

Rich velvety bisque with sweet crab and shrimp, finished with cream and herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 9 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
02 - 9 oz medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
07 - 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

09 - ½ cup dry white wine
10 - 4 cups seafood or fish stock
11 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Flavorings

12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 tsp paprika
15 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
16 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
19 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 6–8 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and thyme; cook 1–2 minutes to bloom spices.
03 - Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
04 - Add seafood stock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to develop flavor.
05 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée until completely smooth, or transfer to a standard blender in batches.
06 - Return bisque to the pot. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Add shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Do not overcook.
08 - Gently fold in crab meat and heat through for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The velvety texture comes naturally from the vegetable base, no heavy roux needed
  • Restaurant quality results that will make everyone think you slaved all day
02 -
  • Hot soup expands rapidly in blenders, never fill more than half and vent the lid
  • Overcooking the shrimp makes them rubbery, watch them like a hawk
03 -
  • Sauté the shrimp shells in butter first, then strain, for an incredible depth
  • Room temperature cream prevents it from curdling when you add it

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