Seafood Bisque
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1 (14.50-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered and packed in water, drained
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon diced green onion tops
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 lemon slices
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • Kosher salt
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • 1 pound medium (41/50 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ pound lump crabmeat
Instructions
  1. In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and onion, and cook until the onions turn translucent about 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, garlic, green onions, and parsley. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a straight-edge spatula to prevent burning. Add the wine to deglaze and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine reduces to just a tablespoon or two, about 5 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the mixture. Cook to the blond roux stage or just until the raw taste of the flour is gone, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream, and stir the mixture to combine. Let the mixture come to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to simmer.
  3. Add the lemon slices, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and a dash or two of hot sauce. Let the mixture thicken—about 10 minutes—and add kosher salt to taste.
  4. This base can now be held until you are ready to serve; it can also be made the day before and refrigerated.
  5. For serving, bring the mixture back to a simmer, and add the shrimp and crabmeat. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve piping hot in bowls with more hot sauce on the table.
Notes
I like the combination of shrimp and crab, but feel free to use just one. Claw crabmeat (it's cheaper} works great in this creamy dish, but feel free to break the bank with jumbo lump. Be sure to source your seafood locally, and to find the best, I buy straight from the fishermen I find on the Louisiana Direct Seafood website. This bisque should be a thick, chowder-like consistency; if too thick, add a bit of water. I like serving this simply with toasted baguette croutons, but traditional dinner rolls or mini-croissants would be an elegant touch. If you have leftover soup, I recommend you create a pasta dish by serving it over linguine noodles.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/2021/09/27/seafood-bisque/