SOUPS

Crab Bisque
Makes: 4-8 servings

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups milk
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (approximately)
• Pepper to taste
• Tabasco to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 bell pepper wedge
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups (or more, to taste) cleaned crab meat
• 1 pint whipping cream
• Sherry, if desired
• Chopped green onion (garnish)

In a large, heavy Dutch oven, make a light roux by stirring butter and flour over medium-high flame until light brown. Add celery and onion and cook until soft. Add water, milk, bouillon cubes, cloves, garlic salt, pepper Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, bell pepper and bay leaf. Simmer 1 to 2 hours, or more. Remove bell pepper and bay leaf. Skim oil from top. Add crab and heat thoroughly. Before serving, add cream, (do not boil!), sherry, if desired, and green onion garnish. Serves four for a meal, 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

Add a diced baked potato to make this a hearty main dish. This recipe is easily doubled, and freezes well before or after addition of crab meat.