By Beleaev Family | International Caviar & Gourmet, Head Office London | beleaev.com
Crab bisque is the soup that justifies the time. Crab shells roasted, simmered with vegetables and brandy, blended, strained through a fine sieve, finished with cream. The result is the most elegant soup in French cuisine, with a depth that no shop-bought version can match.
Key Takeaways
- Use crab shells from a whole crab, not pre-picked meat
- Roast shells before simmering for deeper flavour
- Strain through a fine sieve for silky texture
- Brandy or Cognac for proper depth
- 80g of fresh white meat for topping per portion
The Ingredients
Serves 6
- Shells from 2 whole crabs (around 1.5kg total starting weight)
- 30g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 100ml Cognac or brandy
- 100ml dry white wine
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 1.5 litres fish stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 200ml double cream
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 480g fresh white crab meat (80g per portion topping)
- A pinch of cayenne
- Sea salt and white pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
The Method
Step 1: Roast the Shells
Crush the crab shells with a heavy mallet or pestle. Roast at 200C for 15 minutes until aromatic.
Step 2: Sweat Vegetables
Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic. Cook 8 minutes until soft.
Step 3: Add Shells, Brandy, Wine
Tip the roasted shells into the pot. Add Cognac and ignite carefully (or simmer 60 seconds to burn off alcohol). Add wine, tomato purée, fish stock, bay leaf, thyme.
Step 4: Simmer
Bring to a simmer. Cook 45 minutes uncovered.
Step 5: Strain
Strain through a coarse sieve into a clean pot, pressing the shells to extract maximum flavour. Then strain through a fine sieve.
Step 6: Finish
Add cream and lemon juice. Season with cayenne, salt, white pepper. Reheat gently, do not boil.
Step 7: Plate
Pour into warm bowls. Top each with 80g fresh white crab meat, a small swirl of crème fraîche, and a scatter of chives.
Tips
Roast the shells. Roasting before simmering develops deeper flavour through the maillard reaction.
Strain twice. Coarse sieve removes large solids. Fine sieve produces silky texture.
Don't boil after adding cream. Boiling cream-based soup splits the emulsion.
Top with fresh meat. The bisque is the broth. The lump meat on top adds texture.
Variations and Pairings
With caviar: Add a small spoon (8g) of Royal Oscietra on top of each bowl alongside the crab meat.
With sherry: Replace Cognac with dry sherry for a different aromatic profile.
With chilli oil: Drizzle a few drops of chilli oil for warmth.
Wine pairing: A premier cru Chablis or vintage champagne.
For more crab dishes, see our crab linguine and crab risotto recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get crab shells?
Buy whole crabs from a fishmonger and use the shells after picking the meat. Or ask the fishmonger for spare shells (they often have them).
How long does it keep?
3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently. Don't boil.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, before adding cream. Freeze the strained shellfish stock for up to 3 months. Add cream when reheating.
Make in advance?
Make the strained stock 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Add cream and reheat just before serving.
Further Reading
A bowl of crab bisque at the start of dinner is one of those starters that signals proper occasion. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at beleaev.com.
Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet house headquartered in London, with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We deliver responsibly farmed Beluga, Oscietra, Sevruga, and Kaluga caviar to customers in each region within 24 to 48 hours.
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