Easy Tomato & Crab Bisque for 2

By Addie

I adapted this recipe from one that was published in the August 2003 Bon Appetit Magazine. Recipe originally from the Spartina Grill, Hilton Head Island, SC. This soup is so good! This is one of the best bisques that I've tasted. Chunks of fresh crab make an elegant garnish for this rich soup.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces fresh crabmeat, divided*
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)**
• 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups clam juice
• 1 (5.5-ounce) can V8 vegetable juice
• 1 cup whipping or heavy cream
• 1-2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Details

Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large heavy soup pot over low heat, melt butter. NOTE: I like to use low heat when making this soup, as it gives me more control.

Add 3/4 of crabmeat, chopped tomato, 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Whisk in flour; stir 2 minutes. Whisk in clam juice, V8 vegetable juice, whipping cream, Old Bay seasoning, and hot pepper sauce. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let soup cool slightly.

Puree soup in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in water and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper; bring to simmer before serving.

NOTE: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.

To serve, divide soup among 6 individual soup bowls. Sprinkle with remaining crabmeat and 3 tablespoons basil.
Makes 6 first-course servings.
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REVIEWS:

Super easy and absolutely delicious. I didn't have clamato and used a can of tomato sauce mixed with clam juice. Added about 1 cup additional clam juice than the recipe called for during cooking and omitted the water at the end. Added extra Old Bay, too. It was a little heavy on the basil which overwhelmed the crab. I'd reduce to about a 1/4 cup. I did use canned crab (doubled to 14 ounces)[sorry foody purists!], and didn't top with crab at the end... Liquid diet fare for broken-jawed BF. Extraordinarily good.

FABULOUS with tweaks suggested by other reviewers: use unsalted butter to reduce saltiness; use more garlic (I used 8 cloves for a recipe increased by half); substitute spicy seafood cocktail sauce instead of ketchup and pepper sauce (I only used 2 TBS for the increased recipe size); skip the clam juice; use chicken stock instead of water if needed to thin at end. I used the 16 oz Costco crab. Fiance ADORED it and urged me to write this review. Better as leftovers!

I made this as written except I used a full pound of cleaned crab to serve 5 people. I think I decreased the ketchup and bottled clam juice by just a bit - used a scant 1/4 cup. My Christmas Eve company was thoroughly impressed. I found it delicious but very rich. We followed this a few hours later with live oysters, cheese and crackers, olives, pickles and cocktails. We had to save the main course tri-tip for the next day!

Made this for Christmas Eve this year. It is rich but quite good and easy to make. I would make it again.

This was a bit of a disappointment after all the great reviews. I followed the recipe to the letter, using the lump crab from Costco. To me, it was a bit too thick and lacked the flavor I was expecting. I wouldn't make it again - especially with the cost of the ingredients.

I made this for company (with Prime Rib) and it was very good, but actually, it was better the next day. I didn't change anything, except using Phillips Crabmeat from Costco (and used the whole 16 oz) and used the emersion blender instead of the blender. Easier, for sure. I felt it was a bit too thick, so I'd cut down on the flour next time and maybe use plain tomato juice and increase the clam juice. Seemed a waste of money to buy Clamato (no other use for it) and clam juice rather than buy tomato and use the entire bottle of clam juice.

This was fabulous and worthy of company. I prepared exactly as advised except I used a tube of basil from my produce section. It was lovely.I've added this to "My Recipe Box"!

I've never written a review before, but I couldn't help myself with this one... In agreement with most others, this is fantastic. Simple and easy to prepare, and it makes you feel like an absolute genius in the kitchen once you've tasted it. I took the advice of others and cut back on the ketchup and clam juice (halved both ingredients), and the results were magnificent. Used precooked fresh Dungeness crabmeat. Excellent flavor, not "fishy" at all. Topped some linguine with it for my little boy, and he wolfed it down. My husband couldn't have been more pleased. Absolutely a dish to serve for company.

Very good, but a little too hot. I would recommend using less hot pepper sauce.

Fantastic! My guests would not believe how easy it was to make and insisted that I not work so hard next time. Little did they know...! Made with the beef tenderloin - both were excellent.

My husband and I both thought this was a yummy soup. And, as a bonus, very easy to make. I loosely followed the recipe. It seems very flexible and can take lots of variations depending what ingredients you have on hand, which is great.



This is an excellent, excellent soup -- very flavorful and extraordinarily easy to make. I've made this twice in the past six weeks. The first time I followed the recipe nearly verbatim, using fresh Dungeness crab. The second time I doubled the recipe; used 16 ounces of Phillip's Pasteurized Crab Meat (Costco); substituted Clam juice for the water; switched to unsalted butter (to balance the saltiness of the additional clam juice; used only three tablespoons of flour (for the doubled recipe); and skipped blending the soup (it doesn't need it). The second version was less expensive, even tastier, and enough for two nights (yum). I expect to use this for my next dinner party, and I know my guests will love it as much as my husband and I.

I made this for Christmas dinner and it rocked. The only problem: no leftovers. I made it again 2 days later but doubled the recipe to be sure to have enough. Super excellent!

This is an exceptional recipe. My guests loved it, and everyone asked for the recipe. Great for entertaining because you can do it a day ahead. I used Phillips canned crab from Costco and it was excellent.

I was trying to find a recipe for Tomato Crab Bisque similar to my favorite restaurant and tried this recipe out.It was pretty much dead on.

I've made recipes from Epicurious for many years, but have never felt compelled to review a recipe until now. This was seriously awful. SO fishy, and I didn't even include the clam juices. Don't make this!

This is one of our favorite Sunday Supper dishes. I substitute Skippers Seafood Cocktail Sauce instead of ketchup to give it a bit more zip.

My husband said this was the best soup he's ever had. I thought it was much too thick - I will cut the flour in half next time. I also won't bother with the clam juice next time - will just use an extra 1/4 cup of Clamato or water. The lemon at the end is a must.



Fabulous! I just made it with fresh crab that I caught and cleaned down the Jersey Shore. Quick and easy. I had read and used other reader's ideas...one is I used the 1/2 low sodium v8 and 1/2 spicy v8, both instead of ketchup., also my local grocer did not have fresh basil, but I tried the "squeezible" tube made from basil and herbs...worked great, and no cutting, etc.. Also, used a fresh tomatoe from my garden and used a bit of tomato paste, also. Instead of water, I used chicken broth. I wish I had a bit more crab...can never have enough crab...great dish!! Four forks!!

Outstanding! I've made this several times, using this recipe as a springboard for slight variations, and it's always turned out beautifully. Also, going to the trouble of making your own stock makes a chef proud, but really, using store-bought stuff (or GASP, having to use chicken broth) still makes for a heavenly soup.