Seafood Bisque

It’s National Seafood Bisque day! A deliciously creamy and flavorful bowl of wonderfully rich soup.

Cream Soup, Chowder or Bisque?

What is the difference in these soups?

Chowder has chunks of meat, potato and vegetables. It’s usually in a broth base.

Cream soup and bisque are similar. Both are smooth and creamy, but it’s when the cream is added that makes the difference. The cream is added last in a cream soup, but is used during the cooking process in a bisque.

Making a Seafood Bisque – 

Cut the bacon into large chunks and

cook in a heavy pot over low heat. It will take awhile to fully render the fat and create lardons, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels.

Drain off all but 1/3 cup of the bacon fat.  Melt the butter in the pot with the bacon fat.

Cook the garlic and green onions in the melted butter for about 5 minutes, until it’s fragrant and tender.

Mix the flour with the cajun seasonings, old bay and cayenne.

Whisk the flour into the butter and add the sundried tomatoes.

Cook until the flour begins to brown lightly.

Slowly whisk in the clam juice and continue to whisk until it’s well incorporated into the flour mixture.

Stir in the cream, then the seafood. Simmer on low, stirring often for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp and other seafood is cooked.

Remove it from the heat.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it’s smooth and creamy.

Serve hot garnished with the cooked bacon, chopped green onions and some shrimp or crab. Cheddar Bay biscuits go great with these – follow the link to a fantastic recipe for them!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 3 votes

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Seafood Bisque

A rich, silky soup full of sweet crab, shrimp and clams.

Course: Main Course, main dish, Soup

Cuisine: French, Southern

Keyword: clams, crab, cream, garlic, shimp, soup

Servings: 4 bowls

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 Tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 2 cups half and half (I used an oat cream)
• 1/2 cup raw shrimp meat, chopped
• 1/2 cup canned crabmeat
• 1/2 cup chopped clams (fresh or canned)

Instructions

1. Cut the bacon into large chunks and cook in a heavy pot over low heat. It will take awhile to fully render the fat and create lardons, about 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels.

3. Drain off all but 1/3 cup of the bacon fat.  Melt the butter in the pot with the bacon fat.

4. Cook the garlic and green onions in the melted butter for about 5 minutes, until it's fragrant and the onion is tender.

5. Mix the flour with the cajun seasonings, old bay and cayenne.

6. Whisk the flour into the butter and add the sundried tomatoes.

7. Cook until the flour begins to brown lightly.

8. Slowly whisk in the clam juice and continue to whisk until it's well incorporated into the flour mixture.

9. Stir in the cream, then the seafood. Simmer on low, stirring often for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp and other seafood is cooked.

10. Remove it from the heat.

11. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it's smooth and creamy.

12. Serve hot garnished with the cooked bacon, chopped green onions and some shrimp or crab. Cheddar Old Bay biscuits go great with these!

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

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