Creamy Seafood Bisque

 🦐🦀 Creamy Seafood Bisque — Luxurious, Comforting, and Full of Ocean Flavor! 🌊🍲

A rich, velvety bisque loaded with shrimp, crab, and scallops, perfect for cozy dinners or special occasions. Ready in under an hour!

🛒 Ingredients

Seafood:

½ lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

½ lb lump crab meat (or imitation)

½ lb sea scallops or firm white fish (optional)

Vegetables:

2 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely grated

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Liquids & Flavorings:

¼ cup dry white wine (optional)

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups seafood or chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup tomato paste

Seasoning:

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

½ tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Salt & black pepper, to taste

1 bay leaf

Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Sauté Veggies: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until softened (~5–6 mins). Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

2️⃣ Deglaze (optional): Pour in white wine and simmer 2–3 mins until reduced by half.

3️⃣ Make Roux: Sprinkle flour over veggies, stir, and cook 1–2 mins to remove raw taste.

4️⃣ Add Liquids & Seasoning: Gradually whisk in stock, then tomato paste. Add bay leaf, Old Bay, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne if using. Simmer 10–12 mins.

5️⃣ Cook Seafood: Add shrimp, scallops, and crab. Cook 5–6 mins until shrimp are pink and scallops opaque.

6️⃣ Add Cream & Milk: Lower heat and stir in cream and milk. Heat gently 2–3 mins.

7️⃣ Blend (optional): For smooth bisque, use an immersion blender before adding seafood. Or leave chunky for hearty texture.

8️⃣ Finish: Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning as needed.

🥣 To Serve:

Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, a swirl of cream, or whole shrimp/crab. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers.