Recipes are back – and this bowl of velvety goodness is ready in less than 30 minutes!! You may have noticed that I had gone radio silent, but since mid summer I’ve been in Techno-Hell. I knew I was in trouble in July when I heard my cell phone buzzing and read the message “DELETING”…  Six days later, my computer was hacked and I lost several blog posts which were in progress, including homemade tomato sauce, pickles and making cauliflower breadsticks among others. ( I had just spent three weeks picking everything in my garden and having fun with my canner.)

Then my cell phone provider forced an update which torched my new phone and the two subsequent phone(s) wiped themselves clean three times; no photos, no contacts and no apps, just empty phones.  As a result, Goodmotherdiet has been on a sort of forced ‘vacation’ while I worked on rebuilding my  contacts and recreating some of the lost recipes. More soon…

I created this recipe for Crab Bisque this summer while I was in Maine. (Yes, it was one that was deleted) My friend, Kerry, opened a bottle of chardonnay that had caramelized and she asked me to come up with a recipe to use it up.  I thought the ‘aged’ wine tasted quite a bit like sherry, so I developed this recipe for Crab Bisque with Sherry, but this might be a good time to use a wine you have that has gone over the top. (Just taste it first).  I also had the further restriction that my husband dislikes food made with heavy cream, so I used a combination of coconut milk and fish stock with surprisingly good results. As a bonus, coconut milk is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk is lactose free and dairy free which is a great alternative. Best of all, this recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes but only gets better as it sits and the flavors meld.  It’s also good the next day if you are lucky enough to have leftovers.

Tips:  Bisques are known for their rich, creamy and smooth texture, so I pureed the shallots in my food processor before sauteeing.  If you prefer a chunkier soup, skip this step and mince or chop the shallots with a sharp knife. Fresh crabmeat is always wonderful, however, if you can’t find it frozen or refrigerated lump crabmeat is a decent option for soup and it is much easier than cracking and deshelling fresh crab.

Old Bay is a ubiquitous seasoning, especially in the South.  It is readily available in most supermarkets, however, if you don’t have it in your pantry, try substituting celery salt, red and black pepper and paprika.

CRAB BISQUE WITH SHERRY

• 3 Tbsn butter or vegan butter
• 3 large shallots, minced
• 3 Tbsn flour or potato starch (optional thickener)
• 4 cups fish, clam or veggie stock (2 cans)
• 2 cans regular coconut milk
• 1 tsp Old Bay spice
• 1 lb. fresh or frozen lump crabmeat
• 1⁄2 cup dry sherry (plus more for drizzling)
• parsley (for garnish)

• Puree shallots until fine (for a smooth soup)

• In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the shallots until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

• Stir in flour until smooth but don’t let it burn

• Pour in the stock, coconut milk and Old Bay seasoning and bring to a simmer.

• Reduce the heat to low and stir in the crabmeat and the sherry. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. (Don’t let it boil) Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of Old Bay, parsley and a drizzle of sherry . Serve immediately.