a view through annie's eyes

This recipe comes from the Junior League of Jackson’s Come on In cookbook. Junior League cookbooks are always filled with delicious recipes that have been tested and retested, carefully chosen to be the best of the best. Some years ago, I had the privilege of contributing to a remarkable cookbook called Texas Ties, the first cookbook for the Junior League of North Harris County. That year, I put on considerable weight trying some of the best food I’d ever made in my life. If you like to cook, you probably already know about Junior League cookbooks, but if you haven’t discovered them, you are in for a treat.

For Mother’s Day, I asked for a rather strange, but particularly loving gift. I wanted some fresh crab meat to make my favorite soup which is especially good this time of year. Mike is one of the best choppers, dish washers, crab and shrimp shellers/sous chefs that you will ever meet. If you want perfectly diced onions or celery, he’s your man. When I asked him to shell some crab for Mother’s Day, I knew he’d provide flawless lump crab meat, and he did not disappoint.  So, today it’s my turn to make the fresh corn and crab bisque that I usually reserve for company. If you have access to great seafood, you’ll want to give this recipe a try. I will tell you up front that is the key to making this recipe—well, maybe that and all the real butter and heavy cream.

Fresh Corn and Crab Bisque

½ cup unsalted butter

½ cup all purpose flour

3 cups shrimp stock or clam juice

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. liquid crab boil

4 ears of fresh yellow corn, kernels and juice

½ pint heavy cream

1 lb. fresh lump crabmeat, picked

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs. Creole seasoning

1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided

 Melt butter in saucepan, add flour, and cook, stirring constantly until flour sticks to pan. Add stocks and crab boil. Bring to a boil, stirring, constantly, then lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add corn kernels and juice and continue simmering 15 minutes more. Add cream and blend well. Gently add crabmeat, salt and pepper, Creole seasoning, lemon pepper, and ½ cup green onions. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. To serve, ladle bisque into bowls and top with remaining green onions. (Serves 6.)