Mirliton and Crab Bisque
 
Makes 8 Cups
Ingredients
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
  • 3 cups half-and-half
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound mirliton, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 (8-ounce) container lump crabmeat, picked free of shell, divided
  • 1 (8-ounce) container crab claw meat, picked free of shell, divided
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • Garnish: fresh parsley leaves, fresh celery leaves
Instructions
  1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, jalapeño, and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Whisk in flour and Creole seasoning until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in half-and-half until fully combined. Slowly stir in broth. Add mirliton and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mirliton is tender and soup is thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
  2. Transfer soup to the container of a blender, in batches if necessary; remove center piece of lid to let steam escape, and place a clean towel over opening in lid to avoid splatters. Process until smooth. Return soup to pot.
  3. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons lump crabmeat, 2 tablespoons claw meat, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
  4. Add sherry, remaining lump crabmeat, remaining claw meat, and remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to soup, stirring until combined. Heat over medium-low heat until heated through. Top each serving with crab and parsley mixture. Garnish with parsley and celery leaves, if desired.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/mirliton-and-crab-bisque/