The Ocean in a Bowl: Seafood Soups and Stews  Part 2

Here are the creamy seafood soups you have been waiting for.  Spent the day cooking up my seafood stock, (recipe in Part 1) using shrimp shells and bones from a black Cod.  Turned out great and now I’m going to make Oyster Stew and Clam Chowder. 

Crab Bisque (or  Lobster)

Bisque is a smooth and creamy seasoned soup. It is of French origin and will contain the meat of a crustacean, crab or lobster are, of course, the most popular. Other alternatives are shrimp, langoustines, or even crawfish (crawdads here in the PNW). The meat is used only to flavor the soup, and very little if any meat is left in the soup, unless you add some at the end, like I do.  Thickening Is any type of puree you choose, such as a butter/flour mixture, yogurt or cream, and rice or cauliflower.  It is always best to blend or puree, your choice, before adding to the soup, and never boil soup after it is added.  I usually use the rice , but am looking forward to using the pureed cauliflower, since I am trying to stick with Keto lately. I will update when I do get a chance to try it out. 

This one is a bit of work, but SO worth it, especially if you are cooking to impress!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• 1/3 cup shallots, chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (or ½ cup white grape juice)
• 4 cups fish/shellfish stock
• 1/4 cup jasmine rice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/4 pounds cooked crabmeat, or more if desired
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large, 4- or 6-quart saucepan, melt butter on medium heat, add the shallots and cook gently until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, stock, rice, and tomato paste. Raise the heat and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to continue to simmer until rice is completely cooked, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.

Add about two thirds of the crab meat to the soup. Working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender and purée until completely smooth. Return puréed soup back to soup pan.

Add cream and gently heat soup until it is hot enough for serving. Add the remaining one third of the crab meat.

Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste (about 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne).

New England Clam Chowder

There are two types of clam chowder, New England style or the Manhattan Style (recipe in part 1). New England style is my personal favorite, and I make it often.  I use heavy cream, and of course bacon with sautéed onions and celery.  I just recently starting using cauliflower flowerets rather than red potatoes just for the Keto diet. However, when I do use potatoes, I always cut them up very small.  I don’t like big or a lot of potatoes in my chowder, it is too hard to find the clams!  I will use canned whole baby clams as well as a handful of in shell clams for presentation. Fresh Thyme and Dill weed are good seasonings, as well as a good fish stock of course. I will always us a Chardonnay but if you prefer a sweeter flavor a nice Pinot Grigio is good or white grape juice. And always lots of butter!

• 6 slices Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 4 stalks chopped Celery
• 6-8 Yukon or red potatoes cut up small or slices
• 1 cup Fish stock
• ½ cup White wine or white grape juice
• 1 quart Half and half
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp dill weed
• 1 cube butter
• 3 10oz cans of whole baby Clams
• ½ lb. in shell Clams

In a  5-quart Dutch oven add the bacon pieces, onion, celery, and potatoes pieces. Cook on medium heat until bacon is crisp, and potatoes are tender, approx. 10 to 15 minutes.

Add fish stock, white wine, half and half and heavy cream, seasonings, and butter,  Stir and cook to heat only, about 5 minutes.  Do not let boil. 

Add canned clams, with juice, and whole clams.  Stir then cover, low heat about 5 minutes.  Or until whole clams are open. 

Garnish with chopped green onions. 

I recently saw an alternate chowder of sorts, called Fluffy Clam Chowder.  You add steamed lobster, sautéed in a sherry butter sauce, YUM!!!!  Also, add a firm white fish if you like for a meatier soup.

Oyster stew

It is popular in the United States.  In New England cuisine, oyster stew is often associated with Thanksgiving and in the Southern USA, oyster stew is often prepared on Christmas Eve. There have been several different explanations offered for oyster stew being traditionally consumed on Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve.  Oysters were a plentiful meat source to the early English settlers during the winter months, taught by the Native Americans, hence the Thanksgiving tradition.  Also oyster stew was very popular with the Irish Immigrants, since the Catholic diet restricted meat on Christmas eve. 

I do know oysters are not everyone’s cup of tea, you either love them or hate them!  Texture probably plays more of a part than actual taste, but this come from someone that loves oysters any way they are served.  What I love about this soup is it is so quick and easy.  Enjoy, if you dare! 

Ingredients

• ½ cup green onions chopped, plus additional sliced green onions for garnish green onions
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 oz undrained fresh raw oysters
• 1 quart half and half
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup fish stock
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Red bell pepper strips, 1 pepper

Sauté onion in butter until tender.

 Add remaining ingredients.

 Cook over low heat until edges of oysters begin to curl, and mixture is hot but not boiling.

 Serve stew with crackers and garnish with sliced green onions.

And then there is a crawfish boil, not actually a soup, but writing all this I couldn’t help but think about it.  May just have to do another blog on that one!!          

And as always please comment below with any recipe suggestions.  I can always add to the blog, and give you credit of course. Enjoy!