A Deliciously Tasty Crawfish Bisque Recipe
If you want to taste Cajun cuisine, a deliciously tasty crawfish bisque is the best way to bring all those bold flavors together in one pot. The best thing about this dish is you can make it pretty quickly, taking only a half hour to prepare before being ready to serve. This dish’s history embodies the area’s culture and the French influence throughout Louisiana.
History of Crawfish Bisque
Because many of the settlers in this area originated from France, the food has a bit of a French flare regarding spices and cooking methods. A bisque is a specific type of soup that is thicker than brothy soups. It has a cream base, and since most of them are made with seafood, a base developed with the shells from the fish adds a layer of thickness to the soup. This soup is hearty and a favorite in several parts of France.
The Cajun culture in Louisiana has developed an appreciation for this type of soup, with crawfish bisque at the top of that list. Bisque in France was originally made with shrimp and lobster, but those who settled in Louisiana developed an appreciation for the small crawfish that call the Gulf Coast home. Crawfish are small crustaceans found in North America. Their body type is similar to lobsters. They also have a favorable taste for shrimp and lobster but live in saltwater instead of freshwater.
When the French settlers moved to Louisiana and surrounding areas, they discovered these crawfish and created a new bisque known as crawfish bisque. It is a trendy dish throughout the United States today and is relatively easy to make at home.
Gathering Your Ingredients
In order to make a decadent crawfish bisque at home, you need the following ingredients to capture the thick creaminess of the bisque and brings in all the bold Cajun flavors that your seeking.
- Crawfish tails
- Unsalted Butter (3 tablespoons)
- Flour (3 tablespoons)
- Small onion (diced)
- Green Pepper (diced)
- Garlic Clove (minced)
- Tomato Paste (2 tablespoons)
- Seafood Stock (4 cups)
- Cajun Seasoning
- Sherry wine (1/3 cup)
- Heavy Cream (3 cups)
- Croutons
- Diced Green Onions
If you do not have Sherry available to cook with, you can substitute a red cooking wine or a 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar. You can choose to get crawfish that need to be cleaned and removed from the shell. This will give a fresher taste, but it will take longer if you include this step. If your market offers crawfish tails already extracted from the shell, you can save yourself some time.
Building Your Bisque
Now that you have gathered your ingredients, it is time to start building your bisque. If you choose to purchase fresh crawfish, you can add about 20 minutes to your prep time. If you have fresh meat that has already been removed from the shell, you will be right on schedule to meet your half-hour mark.
1. Clean Your Crawfish
You want to rinse your crawfish meat and ensure there is no dirt before adding it to the bisque later. Washing it in a colander under cool water for a few minutes will get the excess dirt from the crawfish. You should also have your veggies diced before you start building your soup. Since you will immerse these later, you can do rough chops in some places.
2. Mix a Roux
The base of any good bisque is a good roux. A roux is a thickening agent used to build the flavor base and determine the direction your bisque will go. You add butter, flour, sherry, and seasoning to the large soup pot and mix constantly for about five minutes. This part is a lot of work because you need to keep the roux from burning and get it to the right consistency.
Once it has that thick texture you are looking for, it is time to add in staple Cajun ingredients: garlic, diced onion, and a diced green bell pepper. Continue stirring and mixing the veggies until they sweat and have a tender texture.
3. Immerse
After the veggies have cooked down, it is time to add your tomato paste, heavy cream, and seafood stock to the large soup pot. Keep your temperature at medium and bring out your handheld immersed. Slowly blend all the ingredients for about two minutes until it is blended smoothly and has a creamy consistency. Keep the bisque on medium heat so that the flavors continue to blend.
4. Add Crawfish
Once your bisque starts boiling slowly, add your crawfish meat and stir with a spoon. You do not want to immerse the crawfish, so use a wooden spoon to mix the crawfish meat evenly through the bisque.
5. Simmer and Serve
Now that all your ingredients have been mixed into the large soup pot and you have a steady boil, you can turn the burner down to a simmer. Go ahead and close your lid on the soup and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
While you wait, have your garnishes ready, such as croutons and diced green onions. If you prefer more heat, the Louisiana hot sauce you choose should be available. Ladle your bisque into serving bowls and allow your guests to garnish as they choose.
Make This Crawfish Bisque Your Own
If you want to add more texture to your crawfish bisque, you can add celery with green pepper and onion. Depending on how much heat you want in your bisque, add extra Cajun seasoning throughout the dish or red pepper flakes to give it more heat with each bite.
You can also double this recipe to make the recipe for a large group if you want to serve it is an appetizer for a dinner party. No matter how much of this you make, you can always refrigerate the leftovers and have it in the fridge for the next three days. This makes a great option for meal prepping, making a great lunch option when you want something easy to heat and full of flavor.
