Jumbo Crab Grilled Cheese & Bisque
Jumbo Crab Grilled Cheese & Bisque
Ingredients
For the Crab Bisque
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pounds snow crab legs or claws, whole
- 6 cups seafood stock, or as needed to cover
- 1 cup heavy cream
For the Crab Grilled Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup flaked crab meat, from cooked crab
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
For the Grilled Cheese Assembly
- 8 slices croissant loaf bread
- 1/2 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For Garnish (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for swirling
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Crab Bisque Base: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Add the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Add the whole snow crab legs or claws to the pot. Pour in enough seafood stock to just cover the crab and vegetables (approximately 6 cups). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the crab is fully cooked.
⏱️ 25 min
- 4
Carefully remove the cooked crab from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells. Flake 1 cup of crab meat for the grilled cheese filling and reserve the remaining crab meat for garnish.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Blend the Bisque: Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the remaining vegetables and liquid in the pot until completely smooth and creamy. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer the mixture in batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Finish the Bisque: Stir the 1 cup of heavy cream into the bisque. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Keep the bisque warm over low heat while preparing the grilled cheese.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Prepare the Crab Grilled Cheese Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, 1 cup of flaked crab meat, finely diced shallot, chopped fresh chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese to the crab mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and form a thick, spreadable filling.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Assemble the Grilled Cheese: Lay out 4 slices of croissant loaf bread. Generously spread the crab and cheese filling onto each of these slices. Distribute the 1/2 pound of jumbo lump crab meat evenly over the filling on each sandwich.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Top each sandwich with the remaining 4 slices of croissant loaf bread.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Cook the Grilled Cheese: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush the outside of each sandwich generously with melted unsalted butter. Place the sandwiches in the hot skillet.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and gooey. You may need to cook in batches.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Serve: Ladle the warm crab bisque into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a swirl of heavy cream, some of the reserved crab meat, and a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley. Cut the grilled cheese sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately alongside the bisque for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Jumbo Crab Grilled Cheese & Bisque
Ingredients
For the Crab Bisque
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pounds snow crab legs or claws, whole
- 6 cups seafood stock, or as needed to cover
- 1 cup heavy cream
For the Crab Grilled Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup flaked crab meat, from cooked crab
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
For the Grilled Cheese Assembly
- 8 slices croissant loaf bread
- 1/2 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For Garnish (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for swirling
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Crab Bisque Base: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Add the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Add the whole snow crab legs or claws to the pot. Pour in enough seafood stock to just cover the crab and vegetables (approximately 6 cups). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the crab is fully cooked.
⏱️ 25 min - 4
Carefully remove the cooked crab from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells. Flake 1 cup of crab meat for the grilled cheese filling and reserve the remaining crab meat for garnish.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Blend the Bisque: Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the remaining vegetables and liquid in the pot until completely smooth and creamy. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer the mixture in batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Finish the Bisque: Stir the 1 cup of heavy cream into the bisque. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Keep the bisque warm over low heat while preparing the grilled cheese.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Prepare the Crab Grilled Cheese Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, 1 cup of flaked crab meat, finely diced shallot, chopped fresh chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese to the crab mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and form a thick, spreadable filling.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Assemble the Grilled Cheese: Lay out 4 slices of croissant loaf bread. Generously spread the crab and cheese filling onto each of these slices. Distribute the 1/2 pound of jumbo lump crab meat evenly over the filling on each sandwich.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Top each sandwich with the remaining 4 slices of croissant loaf bread.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Cook the Grilled Cheese: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush the outside of each sandwich generously with melted unsalted butter. Place the sandwiches in the hot skillet.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and gooey. You may need to cook in batches.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Serve: Ladle the warm crab bisque into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a swirl of heavy cream, some of the reserved crab meat, and a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley. Cut the grilled cheese sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately alongside the bisque for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min