Recipe Corner: Creamy Crab Mushroom Bisque

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Kosher salt, black pepper or white pepper

Dash of nutmeg, dash of paprika

4 cups milk (or heavy cream)

1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine, or a little more

Garnish with choice of croutons, crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola or grated Parmesan cheese, or fresh sautéed mushrooms.

Preparation:

Melt half the butter in a heavy pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, green onions, mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper, and sauté until onions are softened and translucent and mushrooms are golden brown. Remove the vegetables from the heat and set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan or pot. Stir the flour into the butter until smooth; continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add the broth and whisk together until well blended. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring, about 5-8 minutes.

Add the reserved sautéed vegetables, potatoes, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, and cook on medium heat until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and paprika, and stir.

Puree part of the liquid at this point: remove 1-2 cups of the bisque, and set aside to cool. Then pour into a blender or food processor and puree for 30 to 45 seconds, and return to the saucepan.

Warm milk or cream in another saucepan over medium heat. Add milk or cream, the crabmeat, lemon juice, and zest, stir, and simmer for 12 minutes.

Before serving, add the sherry or wine. Ladle hot bisque into bowls and serve with choice of garnish.

Serves 6.

Note: Replace green onions with finely chopped shallots. If desired, garnish bisque with thinly sliced green onion tops, cilantro, or parsley. Or add a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream and swirl it.

*Christine’s recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunset magazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/