Crab Bisque Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 "dungeness" crabs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5 shallots, chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Cognac
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 10 cups fish stock or water
• Cayenne pepper
• Pinch dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced chives or parsley leaves

Instructions:

1. Remove the claws from the crabs and cut the bodies into quarters. Heat a
   6-quart stockpot. Add the olive oil and saute the crab pieces until they turn red. As the pieces cook, remove them and set aside. Add the chopped carrot, celery, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and tarragon. Saute the vegetables for 10 minutes. Pour in the cognac and ignite. Once the flame has subsided, deglaze with white wine. Add the tomato paste, crab bodies, and enough fish stock to cover (approx. 10 cups). Season with cayenne, thyme, and bay leaf. Boil soup gently for 15 minutes.
    
2. Reduce the cream by half in a small saucepan. Remove the crab from the stock pot and set aside. Add the reduced cream to the soup. Puree the soup in a
   food processor in batches. Strain the pureed soup and keep warm.
    
3. Remove the crab meat from the claws and cut into bite-size pieces. Add to the soup. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve in heated soup bowls and garnish with minced chives or parsley. Add croutons or crackers
   if desired.

Note: Serves 4.





Photo Credit: susannahskitchen.com
Source: susannahskitchen.com/2013/02/recipe-delicious-crab-bisque.html