Crab Bisque

Ingredients for Crab Bisque

• 12 live or frozen uncooked blue crabs (3 to 1.6kg), rinsed well

• 2 cucchiai di burro non salato

• 2 cucchiai di olio vegetale

• 1 cipolla media, tritata finemente

• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery rib, finely chopped

• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 foglia di alloro turco o 1/2 foglia di alloro della California

• 4 large thyme sprigs

• 1 chiodo di garofano intero

• 1/4 cucchiaini di grani di pepe nero

• 120ml Cognac or other brandy

• 240ml vino bianco secco

• 425ml brodo di pollo a basso contenuto di sodio

• 1450ml water

• 80ml long-grain white rice

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon

• 2 cucchiaini di succo di limone fresco

• Large pinch of cayenne

• 230g lump crabmeat, at room temperature 30 minutes, picked over

• Equipment: an 8- to 10-qt pot with tight-fitting lid

• a meat pounder or a rolling pin without handles

• Accompaniment: crab butter (optional)

If using live crabs, add to pot of boiling water using tongs. Cover pot and cook over high heat until crab shells are red, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain crabs in a colander.

Put crabs (cooked or frozen uncooked) into a large metal roasting pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and pound shells with meat pounder to crush (including claws).

Heat butter and oil in same pot over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, carrot, celery, and garlic with bay leaf, thyme, clove, peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoons salt, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add Cognac, wine, and crushed crabs and bring to a boil. Add broth and water and return to a boil. Skim foam, then simmer, covered, stirring and skimming occasionally, 1 hour.

Put colander in a large bowl, then drain crab broth, reserving solids for crab butter (if making). Transfer broth to a medium saucepan.

Ladle out 475ml broth and transfer to a 1-quart saucepan. Add rice and simmer, covered, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes (not all of liquid will be absorbed).

Blend together rice with cooking liquid and 240ml more crab broth in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then add to remaining broth in medium saucepan.

Just before serving, reheat bisque over medium heat until hot, then stir in tarragon, lemon juice, cayenne, and 1/8 teaspoons pepper.

Ladle bisque into bowls and spoon a little crabmeat into centre, then drizzle with some of crab butter (if making).

Avvertenza

Sebbene sia stato fatto ogni sforzo per garantire che le informazioni siano accurate e aggiornate, le esigenze individuali possono variare e i requisiti dietetici possono differire in base alle condizioni di salute personali. Controlla sempre le etichette degli alimenti e le informazioni sugli allergeni prima di preparare o consumare qualsiasi ricetta. Se hai preoccupazioni specifiche per la salute, allergie, intolleranze o stai seguendo una dieta prescritta dal medico, consulta il tuo medico di base, farmacista o un dietista registrato prima di apportare cambiamenti significativi alla tua dieta o stile di vita.