Crab and Shrimp Bliss Bisque (Printable Version)
Rich and velvety crab and shrimp bisque 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 - Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and thyme; cook 1–2 minutes to develop flavors.
03 - Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
04 - Add seafood stock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
05 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Use immersion blender to purée soup until completely smooth, or transfer to standard blender in batches.
06 - Return bisque to 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.
08 - Gently fold in crab meat and heat through 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The texture is incredibly luxurious without requiring hours of reduction time
- It transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes restaurant-worthy
02 -
- Never boil the cream after adding it or your bisque will separate and look curdled
- An immersion blender is infinitely easier than transferring hot soup to a blender
03 -
- Pat the crab and shrimp dry before adding so they dont water down your bisque
- Warm your bowls before serving, the bisque stays hot much longer