Recipe

Step 1: Put the crab into a pot of boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.

Step 2: Chop the crab roughly using a large knife and removing any gills.

Step 3: Melt the butter in a heavy-based pot, add the chopped onion, celery and the bay leaves and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add the crab and Cognac to the pan and cook for a few minutes.

Step 5: Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, wine and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Working in 2-3 batches, blend the mixture in a liquidizer or food processor. Don’t worry if there is any shell as it will be strained.

Step 7: Strain the soup through a conical strainer pushing as much liquid through as you can with the back of a ladle to extract all the juices.

Step 8: Return the bisque to a pot and add the cream, then season to taste with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Serve the bisque in bowls.

See more recipes from Abi Fawcett.

Reprinted with permission from Abi Fawcett’s Seafood Basics (2012 Firefly Books).