Blushing Tomato Crab Bisque
Luxuriously creamy Tomato Crab Bisque, loaded with hidden veggies, it's smooth and creamy with just a hint of heat. So delicious as a starter or a main course!
Servings: 5
Calories: 337kcal
Ingredients
Roasting:
- 1 ½ pounds fresh tomatoes see notes
- ½ large onion cut into wedges
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 whole cloves of garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Tomato Crab Bisque:
- 4 cups shrimp or seafood stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons basil pesto
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon old bay seasoning
- ½ - 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 8-16 ounces lump crab meat fresh or thawed (see notes)
Instructions
- ROAST: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place everything listed under 'roasting' on a large sheet pan. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and pepper and toss everything using your hands. Let roast for 1 hour if you have time you can also do this on 350ºF for 1½ hours. Check on the ingredients halfway through and toss.
- BLEND: Transfer the veggies along with any juices to a large pot or dutch oven. Pour in the seafood stock, Worcestershire, 2 tablespoons pesto, cayenne, paprika, and old bay and blend it all using an immersion blender.
- FINISH: Place the stockpot over medium-high heat, stir, and allow the soup to reach a simmer, reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream and allow the soup to come back to a simmer.
- ADJUST: Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as desired. You can also add the last tablespoon of pesto if you'd like. Add the crab meat (see notes) and let it heat through for about 5 minutes. Serve in bowls topped with additional crab meat and chopped chives if desired.
Notes
- Make your own shrimp stock: if you want to make your own, you'll need: shells from 4 pounds of shrimp, 6 cups water, 10 sprigs parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, 6 cloves garlic, salt, a few peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon of nutritional yeast (optional). Combine this in a large stock pot and allow the stock to come to a boil before lowering the heat and allowing it to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer before using.
- Like a good chowder, this crab bisque tastes better as it sits, I suggest preparing this 24 hours in advance of serving. I'd hold off on adding the crab to the bisque until just before serving though.
- Crab meat: use as much or as little as you'd like. If you want to keep things economical, add a spoonful to just the tops of each bowl before serving rather than stirring it in!
Nutrition
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g
