Lagniappe Recipe: Crab & Corn Bisque

This is most likely the best gourmet Crab & Corn Bisque you will ever serve. It's rich, it's delicious and it's unbelievably easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 pint lump crabmeat
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (do not substitute margarine)
1-1/2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups fresh corn kernels (see 'Recipe Note 1' below)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1-1/2 quarts heavy cream
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green portions
3-4 additional green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Preparation:
Gently pick through the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage, being careful not to break up lumps of crabmeat; set aside. Melt butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent (approximately 10 minutes). Whisk in flour, then add corn kernels. Continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper, then stir in heavy cream and lower heat. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally -- do not boil (see 'Recipe Note 2' below). Stir in sliced green onions, then very gently fold in crabmeat, being careful not to break up lumps. Return bisque to a simmer over low heat, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes; stir once. Additional seasoning may be added, if desired, before serving. Garnish with additional sliced green onions and serve with oyster crackers or French bread. Yields 6 to 8 servings as an entree. Freezes beautifully.

Recipe Notes:
(1) An equal amount of thawed frozen corn or drained canned corn may be substituted for fresh corn in this recipe.
(2) Do not allow bisque to come to a hard boil during preparation to prevent cream from separating.