SANDRA'S SENSUOUS LUMP CRAB AVOCADO BISQUE

This bisque, I must say, is one of my most 
favorite creations to date...

Servings (4)
Prep: 5 Mins.
Cook: 15 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

***Bisque:
2 avocados, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1/2 small Spanish (yellow) onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 heaping tablespoon of all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup freshly cooked lump dungeness crab (or quality canned lump crab, drained)
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

***Bread:
1/2 fresh baguette, sliced
1 garlic clove, halved

METHOD

Mash together avocados and lime juice in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place slices of bread on a baking sheet, and set aside.

Saute chopped onion in butter and light olive oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, until translucent. Add garlic, and continue sautéing 30 seconds more. Add all-purpose flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out raw flour flavor. Add chicken stock while whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil just to thicken. Reduce heat to low to simmer; add avocado mixture to liquid and cook low and slow for 5 minutes. Add cream, crab, parmesan, parsley, including kosher salt and cayenne pepper, then simmer for 3 minutes more (do not boil).

Meanwhile, bake bread slices for 3 to 5 minutes, just until lightly golden and crispy. Remove from oven, and while hot rub with a raw garlic clove that has been cut in half, and set aside.  Toss used garlic.

When crab and avocado bisque is done, ladle into bowls, and serve with toasted garlic bread slices. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S LUSCIOUS ALASKA SHRIMP BISQUE

The lusciousness of this bisque 
is outstanding in every way...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 20 mins. |
Cook: 30 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup spanish onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 lb. fresh shrimp/prawns, cleaned and deveined, and cut into ½” pieces
1 cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste

Garnish:
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 green onion finely chopped (mostly green parts)

METHOD:

In a dutch oven or heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, celery, and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to cook the flour flavor out. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, and marjoram, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then discard the bay leaf.

In a food processor or blender, puree 'half' of the bisque (in batches if necessary) for 30 seconds, or until smooth (I like my bisque creamy, but still with some texture). Return to the saucepan. Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 1 minute. Blend in the milk and cream and cook 2 minutes longer, just until the soup is heated through and the shrimp turn pink (do not overcook). Remove from heat and season bisque with the salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve in four individual bowls, and garnish with sliced green onions. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: I like to serve the shrimp bisque with crispy bread, and a garden salad along side. --- This recipe is also very tasty if you choose to alternately use a mixture of halibut, crab, scallops, and shrimp as well.