Recipe: Nordstrom's Bistro Crab Bisque, Roma Tomato Soup and Tomato Basil Soup recipes

NORSTROM'S BISTRO CRAB BISQUE
Source: Nordstrom's Cafe Bistro
From: STL Today.com
Yield: 8 (1-cup) servings

1 to 1 1/2 pounds cooked Dungeness crab legs (see note)
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large white onion, chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
4 cups water
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch ground red (cayenne) pepper or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1 cup Gazpacho Salsa (see recipe)
2 teaspoons snipped chives

Remove crabmeat from shells and place in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Cut shells into small pieces with kitchen shears and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat; add onion, carrots and celery.
Saute, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Mix in flour. Add garlic and reserved crab shells; stir until shells turn bright red, about 8 minutes.

Whisk tomato paste into wine. Add to pot; cook 5 minutes. Stir in clam juice and water. Bring to a simmer; cook 20 minutes.

Strain the mixture into a clean pan, reserving the solids and shells. Using a blender, process the vegetable solids and shells. If mixture is too thick, add enough of the strained liquid to blend. (This step extracts the flavor from the shells.) Pour into a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth and placed over a bowl. Pour brandy and cream over the solids in the sieve. Use the back of a
spoon to press down on the solids, extracting as much liquid as possible. Add the strained liquid to the crab stock in the pan.

Add cayenne, Tabasco and salt; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Add reserved crabmeat. Season to taste
with salt and additional cayenne, if desired. Ladle into warm soup bowls. Place 2 tablespoons of Gazpacho Salsa on each serving; garnish with chives.

Note: Dungeness crab "clusters" (several legs attached to a meaty portion of the body) are available cooked and frozen at many grocery seafood departments. The clusters are less salty and easier to remove from the shell than king crab or snow crab. The shells are fairly soft and can easily be
processed in a blender, as the recipe requires.

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NORDSTROM'S CAFE ROMA TOMATO SOUP
Makes 15 to 20 servings
Source: Razzle Dazzle

6 T. olive oil
4 large carrots, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 T. dry basil leaves
3 (28- to 32-oz.) cans whole peeled roma tomatoes, or 1 (6-pound. 7-ounce) can whole peeled roma tomatoes
1 quart chicken broth
1 pint heavy or whipping cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and basil and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Puree soup in food processor, in batches, until smooth; return to saucepan. Stir in cream and heat, over low heat, just until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

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NORDSTROM TOMATO BASIL SOUP (quantity recipe)
Source: Nordstorm Caf
Makes 128 servings

1 cup olive oil
3 lbs carrots, chopped
3 lbs onions, chopped
12 cups canned peeled plum tomatoes
4 tablespoons dry basil
4 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons black pepper
1 lb chicken base
2 gallons water
3 quarts heavy (whipping) cream

In a large stock pot, saute the olive oil, carrots, and onions at medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer.

In a large bowl, whisk the chicken base into the water until dissolved. Add the water mixture to the stock pot, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 minutes.

Puree the soup using a hand blender while adding the heavy cream until it reaches a thin consistency.