Chilled Corn Bisque with Basil, Avocado, and Crab

Allow soup to stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. The flavor will come through better if you take the chill off. Slice your basil and chop the avocado just before serving so it doesn't begin to brown.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3  tablespoons  cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 1  cup  finely chopped onion
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 4  cups  fresh corn kernels (about 8 ears)
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/2  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2  cup  half-and-half
• 8  ounces  lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/3  cup  chopped peeled avocado
• 3  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Combine broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth mixture, corn, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently (do not boil). Place half of corn mixture in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour pureed corn mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining corn mixture. Strain corn mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Stir in milk and half-and-half; chill thoroughly. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature; stir well.

Ladle 2/3 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 3 tablespoons crab, about 2 teaspoons avocado, and about 1 teaspoon basil.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

159 (30% from fat)

Fat:

5.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

10.8g

Carbohydrate:

18g

Fiber:

2.3g

Cholesterol:

34mg

Iron:

0.6mg

Sodium:

536mg

Calcium:

64mg