Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Purple Parrot Corn and Crab Bisque

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon Clarified Butter

1/3 cup Yellow onion, medium dice

1/4 cup Green bell peppers, medium dice

1/4 cup Celery, medium dice

1 teaspoon Garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons basil, dried

1 teaspoon White pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 1/2 quarts Chicken Stock

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon brandy

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

2 teaspoons Hot Sauce

3 cups fresh corn kernels, scraped with pulp (or 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained)

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup flour

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup Half-n-Half

1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning

2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked from shell

 

Instructions

In an 8-quart saucepan, sweat onion, bell pepper, and celery in clarified butter over medium heat until soft. Add garlic, basil, pepper, cayenne, and thyme. Stir well, making sure that spices are incorporated.

Add stock, wine, brandy, Worcestershire, and Cayenne and Garlic Sauce. Cook on high heat 7–10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium. While stock is boiling, make a light peanut butter–colored roux with the margarine and flour.

Add the roux to the hot stock and stir thoroughly. Add heavy cream, Half-n-Half, Creole Seasoning, corn and cook on medium to medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. Gently stir in crabmeat and heat through.

Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Yield: 1 gallon

Recent Recipes

Potato Gratin

Potatoes are the one vegetable I could never give up. Fried, roasted, mashed, or scalloped—doesn’t matter, they’re always on the table in one form or another. This gratin is my favorite way to make them feel a little more special. It’s rich, creamy, and just decadent enough to make it feel like you’re putting in some extra effort. There’s a good bit of cheese in this recipe, but that’s exactly how it should be. The combination of sharp white Cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan gives it the perfect balance of nuttiness, creaminess, and tang. And using Yukon gold potatoes instead of russets makes a big difference. They have just the right amount of starch to get creamy without getting mushy. This dish is a showstopper on the holiday table, but I’d eat it on a random Tuesday without hesitation.

Read more

Orange Cranberry Muffins

These muffins are like Christmas morning in a bite—bright, citrusy orange paired with tart, bursting cranberries. The combination feels like something you'd find in a festive basket dropped off by a thoughtful neighbor. Perfect for Christmas gift giving or to have on hand for guests throughout the holiday.

Read more

Chocolate Christmas Cheesecake

Chef Linda Roderick has been by my side through these cookbooks for over two decades, and there’s no one I’d rather have guiding me through a cheesecake recipe. She’s a master of the craft—steady, exacting, and always aiming for perfection. This rich, decadent chocolate cheesecake is no exception. It's all about balance. The deep, smooth chocolate filling meets a crisp, slightly salty crust for a perfect bite every time. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing—otherwise, you’ll end up with lumps. And when you melt the chocolate, give it time to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter, so you don’t end up with curdled filling. It’s worth the patience, every time. A few techniques can elevate this recipe to another level: chilling the dough overnight for a richer flavor, using a water bath to ensure an ultra-smooth texture, and letting the cheesecake rest for at least 24 hours before serving for the best flavor.

Read more