Recipe: Cedar Key Crab Bisque

CEDAR KEY CRAB BISQUE

1 pound fresh lump crab meat
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallot (about 4)
1 rib celery, minced
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups light cream or half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon minced fresh chives (for garnish)

Gently pick through the crab meat, removing any bits shell or cartilage.

Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the shallots and celery and cook over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the cream.
Return the pan to the heat, and continuing to whisk, gradually bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat. Stir in the crab meat and gently simmer the soup,
uncovered, until well flavored, 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and a whisper of cayenne to taste. (The soup is now ready to eat, but the flavor will improve if you refrigerate it for a few hours and reheat it before serving.)

Reheat the soup without boiling. Ladle it into bowls for serving. Sprinkle with the chives and serve at once.

Source: Miami Spice
From: SueA, CA