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a plain bowl of smooth pale ivory crab bisque with soft white lump crab pieces visible in the soup, with no tomato-red broth, crab shells, claws, herbs, lemon wedges or garnish
Rachel Kim

Crab Bisque

Blend the leek and sherry cream base before adding the lump crab, so the meat stays in soft pieces instead of disappearing into the blender. This pale bisque gets its body from a small roux and its seafood flavor from stock and crab, with no tomato paste or lobster shells competing for attention.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium leek white and light green parts only, sliced and washed
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp dry sherry
  • 3 cups low-sodium seafood stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 12 oz refrigerated pasteurized cooked lump crabmeat drained and gently checked for shell fragments

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat and cook leek for 8 minutes until very soft without browning. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Add sherry and stir for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in seafood stock, then add milk, Old Bay and white pepper. Simmer gently for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Remove from the heat and blend the base until completely smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in cream and return to low heat for 2 minutes.
  4. Fold in the cooked lump crab without breaking it up. Heat gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring carefully, until the soup and crab reach 165°F without a hard boil.
  5. Divide among 4 bowls, distributing the lump crab evenly through the pale bisque.