Food & Recipes

Crab Bisque

This delicate crab bisque is made with white wine and sherry -- perfect for a special dinner party.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
• 2 cups chopped red bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2/3 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon dried tarragon, divided
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups clam juice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 12-ounce can crabmeat
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat vegetable broth in large pot over medium heat. Add bell pepper, green onion, celery, carrot and red onion; cook 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
2. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon tarragon over vegetables. Add tomatoes, clam juice, wine and 1 teaspoon tarragon; bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Add crabmeat; cook 5 to 8 minutes, until heated through.
5. Add sherry, evaporated skim milk and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soup thickens and is heated through.
6. Soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat on stovetop or in microwave.

Tips: Why do onions bring tears to your eyes? Onions release a gas called propanethiols that, when mixed with water in the eye, forms a weak acid that irritates the eye. As a result, tear ducts flood the eyes to get rid of the acid.

Excerpted from Cook Once, Eat for a Week by Jyl Steinback. Copyright © 2003 by Family Fit Lifestyle, an Arizona Corporation.

To order this book go to www.penguin.com. Get a 15% discount with the coupon code FENPARENT.