Well, let me tell ya, this here crab and shrimp soup bisque, it ain’t no fancy food. It’s just good eatin’, that’s what it is. My old man, bless his heart, he used to love this stuff. Said it warmed him up better than any old blanket. And you know what? He was right. This soup, it sticks to your ribs, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Good for a cold day, or any day, really.
Now, this ain’t no quick thing, you gotta put some time into it. But it ain’t hard, neither. Just gotta follow along, and you’ll have a pot of this crab and shrimp bisque that’ll make you wanna slap your grandma! Just kiddin’, don’t do that. But you get the idea, it’s that good.
First thing, you need a big ol’ pot. Not one of them little ones, gotta be big enough to hold all the good stuff we’re gonna put in it. And you need some crab, and some shrimp. Fresh is best, but if you gotta use them frozen ones, that’s okay too. Just make sure they ain’t freezer-burnt or nothin’. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
- Big ol’ pot
- Crab, fresh or frozen
- Shrimp, fresh or frozen
- Onions, gotta have onions
- Carrots, them too
- Chicken broth, the good kind
Then you need some onions. Chop ’em up, don’t gotta be fancy, just chop ’em. And some carrots, chop them too. Now, some folks, they like to put other things in their crab and shrimp bisque. Like that celery stuff. Me, I don’t care for it. Tastes like crunchy water, that’s what it tastes like. But if you like it, you go right ahead and put it in there. This is your soup, you make it how you like it.
So, you got your pot, you got your crab and shrimp, your onions and carrots. Now you need some chicken broth. Not that watered-down stuff, gotta be the good kind, the kind that tastes like chicken. Pour that in the pot, a whole bunch of it. Then you put in your onions and carrots, and you let it all cook together for a good long while. I usually put a lid on there and simmer for half an hour.
Now while all that is bubbling away, this crab and shrimp bisque is really coming together. Some of them fancy folks say a bisque is made with, what’s that word, pureed stuff. They say you gotta grind up them shells and make a paste. Well, who’s got time for that? I ain’t grinding no shells. And who wants to eat that anyway? Sounds kinda nasty to me, like eating sand or something.
Nowadays, they use other things to make it thick, that soup. Some use rice. That is a good way. But for this crab and shrimp soup bisque, I don’t like to use rice. I like to use a little something called sherry. Don’t need a lot, just a splash or two. Makes it taste real good. And a little squeeze of lemon, that brightens it up. And if you like it a little spicy, you can put in a pinch of that red pepper, that cayenne pepper. Just a pinch, now, don’t go crazy with it. Unless you like it real hot, then you go right ahead. You put in as much as your little heart desires.
Some folks like to put some heavy cream in their crab and shrimp bisque. Makes it all rich and creamy. Me, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Depends on how I’m feelin’, I guess. And what I got in the icebox. If you got some cream, go ahead and put it in. If you don’t, that’s okay too. This soup, it’s good with or without it.
And salt. Don’t need too much, I put a little salt and a little bit of that Worcestershire sauce in mine. That stuff is good, ain’t it? Gives it a little somethin’ extra. And at the very end, after it’s all done, that’s when you add your crab and shrimp. Put it in the pot, let it cook just a little bit, just until it’s all pink and cooked through. Don’t want to overcook it, or it’ll get all tough and rubbery. Ain’t nobody like that.
You want to cook that crab and shrimp just right, not too much. You gotta taste it, that’s the only way to know for sure. Just take a little spoonful, blow on it, and taste it. If it tastes good, then it’s done. If it don’t, then you gotta cook it some more. It’s that simple.
And that’s it, that’s how you make crab and shrimp bisque. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good. And it’s easy to make, once you know how. Just gotta remember the steps, and don’t be afraid to try new things. That’s how you learn, that’s how you get better. And that’s how you make a soup that’ll make you wanna slap your grandma! Just kiddin’, again. But you know what I mean. It’s good soup, that’s all I’m sayin’. Now go on, get cookin’!