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Feb 28, 2014

Corn and Crab Bisque


Corn and Crab Bisque

This corn and crab bisque is absolutely elegant and flavorful, and is the perfect soup for a dinner party. It it spicy and rich, and the mix of the sweet corn and crab flavors spiced with cayenne is reminiscent of the flavors of Cajun and Creole food. 

When I tasted this soup after making it, I pretty much jumped up and down. It was that good. 

The recipe is at the end of this post.  

I found this recipe in Around the World in 450 Recipes, a book I received from Emily, aka Yinzerella of Dinner is Served.


Emily thought I might like it because of my participation in Wok Wednesdays. How right on she was! Check out the cute note she sent me.


Her blog is fabulous and quirky, and she has a cat named Brian. Brian. Love that. She started her blog to cook through her gramsy's olive colored recipe box of Dinner is Served recipe cards. She's into vintage cooking, including cocktails. You've got me there Yinzerella! Thank you so much for sharing this cookbook.

I am participating in the Food Blogger Cookbook Swap, hosted by Alyssa of Everyday Maven and Faith of An Edible MosaicI sent a cookbook to a food blogger and received this cookbook in return! 

The last time they organized a swap, it was for food props. As you can see, my photos are pretty bare bones....

Corn and Crab Bisque

Participating in that swap was out of the question. It just wouldn't be a win-win. I seriously need to work on my food styling skills as well as my food prop collection. But cookbooks? Do I have an obsession with those! 

As a bread head, I was pretty excited to be matched with Joanne of Eats Well with Others (gorgeous photos on her site btw). She makes bread! She has a section in her recipe index for bread! I crossed my fingers and sent her a copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking. 

Corn and Crab Bisque

Ingredients

8 ears of corn
12 1/2 C cold water
3 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 T chicken demi glace, 2 packets of Swanson Flavor Boost, or chicken bouillon to taste
1 T concentrated vegetable bouillon
(in lieu of the bouillons, you can add crab or shrimp shells to the broth with the corn cobs)
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 1/2 C cream
12 ounces lump crab meat
8 scallions, thinly sliced
white pepper, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Remove the husks and silk from the corn and discard.
  2. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and set aside. 
  3. Place the stripped cobs in an 8 quart pot and cover with the water. Add the bay leaves, salt, and bouillons. 
  4. Bring the pot to a boil, and boil for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove the cobs and bay leaves from the pot, and discard. Boil hard for another 10 minutes to reduce. 
  6. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour and stir over low heat until creamy and golden. Add about a cup of the corn broth to the pan and whisk until thickened. Add the flour mixture to the broth and bring to a boil. 
  7. Add the corn and boil for about 5 to 10 minutes, to taste. 
  8. Add the cream, crab, scallions, pepper, cayenne, hot sauce, and salt and simmer for another two minutes. 
Amazing!

This recipe has been inspired by Around the World in 450 Recipes.

Would you like to comment?

  1. I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
    And, your pictures are lovely.

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  2. Karen...that crab and corn bisque looks so lush! What a great choice. I actually have that book, but have yet to make anything from it! This looks like it might be a good recipe to start with! And Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day is a fabulous book, too! Perfect coming from a "bread head" like you!.

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    1. Thanks Anne! I changed up the bisque a bit because I didn't want to buy a whole crab, but I was not disappointed at all.

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  3. I am loving that you jumped up and down over this bisque-- true sign of a well-cooked meal! I'll have to try it. I love bisque of all kinds!

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    1. It is delicious. It's not often that I go crazy over a dish like I did this one. Except bread of course. =)

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  4. Thank you so much for participating in the swap and helping to make it a success! The book you received looks like a real winner - I love traveling using my meals. And that Corn and Crab Bisque - killer!

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  5. That's one of my absolute favorite soups. What a great book to receive!

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  6. Thank you thank you thank you!! I love the cookbook choice you gave me! And the one you received sounds pretty awesome as well! Cooking through the world's cuisines is a great way to "travel".

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  7. The bisque sounds out of this world - such a lovely combo! And the book sounds like yet another that I want on my shelves ;).

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  8. Yum! That looks so good! This was really fun, wasn't it? I'd rather see a blog photo that focuses on the food than one that looks like a still life.

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  9. Too funny! I have this book - I need to look up this soup - sound wonderful. Thanks so much for participating in the swap :)

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  10. This was so fun! I've not seen the book you received before, but it sure sounds like a great addition. Oh, and the bisque sounds scrumptious!

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