Rainbow Soup Month: Corn and Crab Bisque

Corn and Crab Bisque - Seriously Soupy

For this weeks Rainbow Soup, I created a yellowish soup using corn, a yellow pepper, and some yellow squash. I wanted this one to be more than vegetables so I added in some crab cakes from Trader Joe's (but any light fish would work) as well as various herbs (tarragon, garlic, red pepper flakes and bay leaves). For the base, I used garlic broth (also used in this recipe from Food 2), which really gave this yellowish soupy a nice and silky taste. Since there was no cream, I used a small amount of water and finished it with some lemon juice - creating quite the delicious (and easy) spring soup. Enjoy!

Garlic Broth

Ingredients:
5 cups water
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
6-8 leaves fresh basil
6-8 leaves fresh sage
6-8 sprigs lemon thyme
6-8 sprigs fresh rosemary
3-5 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
Pour the water into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Add garlic cloves and fresh herbs. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, tasting occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Drain solids from the broth, and discard or save for another use. 

  

Rainbow Soup Month: Corn and Crab Bisque

Ingredients: 
2-3 cups of garlic broth (or vegetable broth) 
2 ears of corn, shucked 
1/2 yellow squash, cut up 
1 yellow onion, cut up 
1/2 yellow pepper, cut up 
drizzle of olive oil 
1/4 teaspoon of tarragon 
2-3 cloves of garlic minced  

3-4 dried bay leaves  
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes  
2 crab cakes - I used the Maryland crab cakes from Trader Joe's   
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or whole lemon 

Directions:
Cut up the onions, pepper, squash and shuck the corn. Place them in a oil and let them marinade with olive oil, salt, pepper, bay leaves and lemon. Bring broth to a low boil and add the ingredients from the bowl to the pot. Add some tarragon, garlic, red pepper flakes and cover. Let cook for 20 minutes - checking on the soup periodically. Add the crab meat (or fish) and cover. Cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and blend the ingredients - (I made my soup semi-chunky). Taste with some salt and pepper and enjoy!


Seriously Soupy Serena

Rainbow Soup Month: Carrot Ginger, Cauliflower and Orange Pepper Soup

Carrot Ginger, Cauliflower and Orange Pepper Soup - Seriously Soupy

Last week I mentioned that it was Rainbow Soup Month on Soupy to celebrate the wide selection of fruits and vegetables during the spring. I started with a Roasted Red Pepper, Cucumber and Avocado soup for my red-themed soupy that was a refreshing and fun way to kick-off this colorful soup month. For this week, I made an orange soup using carrots and orange peppers. To enhance the flavors I added in some cinnamon, cloves, onions and garlic as well as some cauliflower to thicken the base (I didn't want to use cream). I also used some orange juice and ginger to enhance some of the soups natural sweetness. Next week we go further up the rainbow with a yellow soup. Until then...Enjoy!

Rainbow Soup Month: Carrot Ginger, Cauliflower and Orange Pepper Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups of vegetable broth of water
1/2 cup of orange juice
4-5 stalks of carrots, cut up
1 orange pepper, de-pitted and cut up
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, de-peeled and finely chopped
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut up
1/4 teaspoon of cloves
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ginger - or you can use fresh
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Add water or broth to a pot and bring to a slight boil. Cut up the garlic and onions and add them to the pot. Cut up the carrots, cauliflower, and orange pepper and add them to the pot, along with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for 20-30 minutes. Add the orange juice and puree the ingredients in a blender. Top with some cinnamon. Enjoy!

What orange soups will you be making this spring?

Seriously Soupy Serena