Crab Bisque: Everyday Gourmet (with alcohol substitute)

For so long I have heard many gourmet food names, and wondered what the big deal was. There was Chicken Cordon Bleu, Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, Duck L'Orange, and many others.
Well, much to my delight, the shellfish bisque lives up to its allure and exquisite taste!
Bisque is a French word defined by Merriam-Webster as a thick cream soup made with shellfish or game; a cream soup of pureed vegetables.
Now some would say that a "real" bisque is made with some sort of shellfish, with lobster, crab and shrimp being the most popular. I have even heard of oyster bisque, but as of this post have not attempted it! Anyway that you want to look at it a bisque is cooked on the stove, taken off, pureed and then reheated to a succulent creation.
Let's break it down. There is "bi" meaning twice, and "que" coming from the beginning part of the word "cuisine", which is' of cooking'. So it is cooked twice....get it?
If you have not tried to make it, please do,and then you might be as addicted to it as I am, so watch out!
I never cook with light, low-calorie or substitute foods, but I found this light recipe on www.myrecipes.com that is just delicious! You can use the whole food version of the light ingredients, if you please! Also, you can substitute coconut milk as well!

                                    Crab Bisque Recipe

                                           Photo:Erich Coleman

This is actually a lobster bisque, but the recipe is exactly the same! You can put in any shellfish you want. (Prawns, oysters, crab, shrimp,etc.) Each one is utterly delicious, and you should try at least three to get good practice. You can to impress a date very easily, or a serve it as special treat for a small dinner party!

I love to pair all the shellfish bisques with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and white wine. Chardonnay works very well, but a Pinot Grigio is also a treat. For the grilled cheesy delight, I start off with sourdough bread, (or a multi grain or herb bread) and I select two fine cheeses, like Gruyere, Baby Swiss, Havarti, etc. I like to put one cheese on the left side of the sandwich and the other cheese on the right side. That way you get  three distinctive tastes as you bite across the sandwich. You get one distinct cheese, a mix of the two, and then the other cheese by itself at the end! Try it! Above you can also see that a few tart apple slices also go with this meal. I like them for the change in texture, cleansing of the palette and it goes pairs with the wine as well!
Try them and see!
Happy cooking!

(IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO USE ALCOHOL IN THIS RECIPE, USE UNFLITERED APPLE CIDER. IT WILL PROVIDE THE FRUITINESS NECESSARY) :-)