Crab and Corn Bisque

Corn and crab bisque is a creamy Louisiana soup made with sweet corn, lump crab, and a blond roux for depth. A homemade seafood stock adds rich, authentic flavor.

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American, Louisiana

Keyword bisque, crab

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 328kcal

Author Lauren LeBlanc

Equipment

Whisk
Dutch oven 5 quarts

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1–2 jalapeños optional
3 green onions
½ cup fresh parsley leaves loosely packed
4 cloves garlic
1 pound lump crab meat
8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup sherry cooking wine
6 cups seafood stock or shrimp stock, see note
2 cups heavy cream warmed
4 cups frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon liquid crab boil
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or to taste

Instructions

PREP: Finely chop onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, green onions, and parsley. Mince garlic. Gently sort through the crab and pick out any shells. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
1 medium yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 stalk celery, 1–2 jalapeños, 3 green onions, ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 1 pound lump crab meat
SAUTÉ: Heat a large dutch oven over medium/med high heat and melt butter. Sauté onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté for about 10 minutes until vegetables are softening. Add in garlic and cook for about 1 minute while stirring.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
BLOND ROUX: Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, while stirring, until flour has slightly darkened to a pale tan. Scrape up the bottom of the pot as it cooks. It will look thick and clumpy.
½ cup all purpose flour
DEGLAZE: Slowly pour in sherry while stirring to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for about a minute to allow alcohol to burn off.
½ cup sherry cooking wine
SIMMER: Slowly whisk in warmed seafood stock, a little at a time, until incorporated and there are no lumps of flour. Be sure to scrape up any flour stuck on the bottom. Add half of the parsley and half of the green onions. Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat or foam that rises to the top.
6 cups seafood stock
COOK: After 30 minutes of simmering, add heavy cream, corn, liquid crab boil, hot sauce, tarragon and Creole seasoning, and stir to combine. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes Gently fold in crab, and turn off heat.
2 cups heavy cream, 4 cups frozen corn kernels, 1 teaspoon liquid crab boil, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
FINISH: Stir in remaining parsley and green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning with more Creole seasoning, salt, or hot sauce as needed.
SERVE: Serve hot, option to garnish with more parsley and/or green onions.

Notes

Use my Seafood Stock or Shrimp Stock recipe for the best flavor. Substitute for chicken or vegetable stock. If it yields less than 6 cups, add water to make up the difference.
Substitute cream for half-and-half for a lighter bisque, but it will be thinner.
Use fresh corn when in season, but frozen corn works well otherwise. Use 4 corn cobs, or 2 cans of canned corn, rinsed and drained. Throw the cobs in with the stock for extra flavor.
Order liquid crab boil here If you can’t find it at your local store.
Thyme is a good substitute for tarragon.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat; avoid boiling. Add a splash of stock if too thick.
Make Ahead: Cook the base through the simmer step, chill up to 2 days, then finish with cream and crab before serving.

Nutrition