Crab Bisque

Yankee Candle puts crack in their products. That is the only logical explanation.

The thing is, I haven’t purchased a Yankee Candle in forever. I moved on and went with the less expensive and more convenient Bath and Body Works candles and home scent thingies. I had weened myself off of their big fancy candles. But the other day I got one of those buy one get one free coupons and the perceived value lured me back in. (Still, $30 a candle = crazy. Right?)

Before I knew it I was walking around the house huffing ‘Autumn Leaves’, literally huffing, and back to my old ways filling every room in the house with one or another of their products I have never been so over come by one smell and I cook with bacon. Real bacon. A lot. I’ve never walked around huffing bacon, though, now that I think of it…

SO yes, I am convinced that Yankee Candle must lace their product with coke, or some other highly addictive drug to keep us stuck on them and coming back for more. At this point, I may or may not shamelessly have a stock pile of Autumn Leaves flavored sway now that could last the average person three seasons and I am clinging to them like a hoarder preparing for the rather stinky zombie apocalypse. Not normal.

Crab Bisque

from Emeril on Food Network.com Bam.

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup seeded and chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 bay leaves
2 1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas cayenne
6 gumbo crabs*, each cut in 1/2
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1/2 cup brandy
8 cups seafood stock
1 teas liquid crab boil, optional
1/2 cup chopped green onions, green parts only
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage

Preparation:

Combine the flour and oil in a large stockpot until smooth. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is the color of peanut butter, about 10 minutes. (For a while it may seem like a peanut butter color is not going to happen, but it will just don’t let the mixture get too brown). Stir in the onions, bell pepper, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the crabs and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes longer then add the brandy, stock, and crab boil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Stir in the green onions and parsley. Discard the bay leaves. Remove from heat and stir in the cream until combined.

Serve in bowls with a large portion of fresh crab meat on top.

*best I could figure with the research I did, gumbo crabs are similar to blue crabs we fish out of the Chesapeake in my region. I used local blue crab for the recipe.

Now for those of you who made it to the bottom, a special treat

Muir Glen Harvest Reserve Kits Giveaway!

The kit contains:

One 14.5 oz can Reserve Harvest Sunset Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
One 14.5 oz can Reserve Harvest Sunset Organic Diced Tomatoes
One 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
One 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic No-Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
A recipe booklet featuring a variety of recipes created by award-winning chefs from around the country made with the 2011 Reserve Tomatoes

5 readers will be chosen at random to win. Seriously, enter – and enter a lot. Muir Glen tomatoes are amazing. Since trying them last year, they are pretty much the only canned tomato product you will find in my house. Their salsa is awesome. I eat their spaghetti sauce from the jar. No pressure, but this stuff is life changing.