Soups are a great choice for feeding a crowd. Hearty soups like this one can stand in as the main dish--all you need are a few sides. This soup gets major flavor from BBQ Shrimp seasoning. We love Andy Roo's for his dish-specific blends...but we've found they're versatile, too! This blend is salt-free. There's enough flavor for it to stand on its own, but we noted salt "to taste" in the recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 quart seafood stock (we like Kitchen Basics)
2 lbs frozen crawfish tails
2 Tbl BBQ Shrimp Seasoning
2 cups heavy cream
Salt to taste
Directions
In a heavy dutch oven, melt the butter and sweat the onion and celery until clear and softened. Turning the heat to medium low and placing the lid on the pot will speed the process. Add in the garlic and saute until just fragrant. Add in the BBQ Shrimp Seasoning along with the flour and mix until a paste forms with the butter, seasoning and vegetables. Stir continuously until the paste turns a shade darker--you are making a blonde roux. Slowly whisk in the seafood stock until well combined. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Add in the crawfish tails and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree with a stick blender or in batches in a blender. Adjust the consistency of the soup with the heavy cream--you may not use all the heavy cream. Taste and adjust with more BBQ Shrimp Seasoning and salt, if desired. Serve with Greek Island Croutons on the side for garnish.
Greek Island Croutons
Ingredients
2 cups cubed hearty white or wheat bread, crusts removed
2 Tbl Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tbl Greek Island Blend
Directions
Place the bread cubes in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 Tbl Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with the Greek Island Blend. Toss to combine and coat all surfaces. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tsp Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In batches, brown the bread cubes until toasted on all sides. Or bake in a 350 degree oven on a rimmed baking sheet drizzled with olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on all sides.