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Rustic Dungeness crab bisque with kale served in a black bowl with sourdough bread

Rustic Dungeness Crab Bisque with Kale

A creamy, cozy Dungeness crab bisque with kale, white wine, herbs, clam juice, milk, cream, and a splash of lemon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 dash cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp celery salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 8 oz clam juice
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 lb Dungeness crab meat picked over for shells
  • 3-4 leaves dinosaur kale stems removed and leaves chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • fresh lemon juice a squeeze, to taste
  • fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
  • sourdough bread for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste until fully incorporated, then deglaze the pot with the white wine, scraping up anything from the bottom.
  4. Add the clam juice, thyme, cayenne, paprika, celery salt, and tarragon. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat and stir in the milk and heavy cream. Cook gently for about 5 minutes without letting the bisque boil hard.
  6. Fold in the crab meat and chopped kale. Keep the heat very low and cook for about 10 minutes, just until the kale is tender and the crab is warmed through.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the bisque.
  8. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with thick slices of sourdough bread.

Notes

Keep the heat low after adding the dairy and crab so the bisque stays silky and the crab remains tender. Fresh Dungeness crab is wonderful here, but properly thawed frozen crab works beautifully too.