Sweet corn bisque
Q: A friend and I had dinner last night at Pistache French Bistro. The soup of the day was corn bisque. It was absolutely delicious. It was so smooth and tasty. There was a “garnish” on top which really put that extra wow in the soup. Would appreciate it if you could get the recipe from the chef. Definitely a soup that I would like to make at home. Always enjoy your Tip of the Week and, of course, the recipes that folks request. — Joan Terry, Boynton Beach
A: This request comes on the heels of the 18th annual Sweet Corn Fiesta, which took place last month at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach. The event celebrates the local crop grown in the rich, black soil of the Glades region. In keeping with the locals and peak season, the corn bisque recipe comes from Chef de cuisine Isaac Cerny of Pistache French Bistro (101 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 561-833-5090; pistachewpb.com).
The downtown West Palm Beach culinary anchor, known for its renditions of French classics, just celebrated a 10-year anniversary. The fete continues with enticing summer promotions rolling out. Take advantage of daily happy hour drink and small plate specials at the bar, all-you-caneat mussels with the purchase of an entrée on “Moules Mondays,” and discounted wine and cocktails all night during “Tipsy Tuesdays.” Looking ahead, the anticipated annual culinary tour, Tour du Monde, kicks off May 26 and runs throughout the summer — highlighting global cuisines from Cuba, Russia, Mexico, Morocco and Spain, among others. Check the website for specific offerings.
Cerny has been the top toque at Pistache since 2011, and has been finessing his bisque recipe for even longer. His bisque is featured as a soup of the day and not as a regular menu item, so call ahead to check availability.
“The garnishes have changed over the years, but the body of the recipe is the same,” he said. “Our soup du jour is seasonal and the corn from Florida now is nice and sweet. Since it’s getting hotter outside, I cut back on butter and cream. so it’s not super heavy.”
Although the recipe yields a generous home cook amount, I chose not to scale it back. In doing so, it would have created all kinds of craziness, like half an onion and half a leek. If desired, feel free to cut ingredients in half or, better yet, share half the batch with a friend or neighbor. That random act of kindness will feed your soul, too.
Q: I had the seafood plate at Bonefish Mac’s and their crab cakes are really delicious. I would like to have the recipe please. Thank you. — Manon Lalonde, Coral Springs
A: The menu at Bonefish Mac’s (multiple locations; bonefishmacs.com) indicates their crab cakes are hand-made from a “secret recipe.” It goes on to say the dish is “pan seared and bursting with jumbo lump crabmeat.” While their recipe may be secretive, I’m offering a stand-in version from the Maryland seafood website, seafood.maryland.gov. This mid-Atlantic state takes its seafood very seriously. Commercial fishing in Maryland has been a way of life for more than 300 years.
The key to exceptional crab cakes starts with the quality and quantity of the crustacean. You can’t skimp on either.
The second criteria is the ratio of wet-todry ingredients; one of the reasons I like this recipe is the small amount of breadcrumbs used. You need just the right amount of filler and moisture to hold the cakes together. Too much of either and the delicate crab flavor gets lost or cakes become mushy.
Lastly, gently fold the ingredients together so as not to break up the prized lumps of crab.