Cajun Crab and Shrimp Bouillon Recipe

Serves/Makes: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 pound raw shrimp
• 1/2 pound fresh crab meat (not imitation) drained and picked over
• 2 quarts fish stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

How to cook Cajun Crab and Shrimp Bouillon:

• Shell the shrimp. Devein them by making a shallow incision down their backs with a small sharp knife and lifting out the black or white intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Wash the shrimp briefly in a sieve or colander set under cold running water.
• Bring the fish stock to a boil in a heavy 3 to 4-quart saucepan set over high heat. Drop in the shrimp and cook briskly, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are pink and firm to the touch. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl and put them through the medium blade of a food grinder. Set the ground shrimp aside and reserve all of the cooking liquid.
• In a heavy 4 to 6-quart casserole, melt the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onions, celery and garlic and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid, then add the ground shrimp, the crab meat, thyme, bay leaf and red pepper, and bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes.
• Pick out and discard the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and serve the crab-shrimp bouillon at once from a heated tureen or from heated individual soup plates.

This recipe for Cajun Crab and Shrimp Bouillon serves/makes: 8

Main Ingredient: Seafood Mix
Preparation Method: Soup/Stew
Cuisine: Cajun