Best Of The Bay Recipesshe Crab Soup

SOUTH CAROLINA SHE-CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in the onion, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for about 4 minutes.
• Gradually whisk in the half and half cream so that no lumps form. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, and pour in half of the sherry. Season with dill, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until soup has reduced by 1/3. Add crabmeat, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Ladle soup into bowls, and top off with a splash of the remaining sherry and a sprinkle of fresh chives.

CAROLINA SHE-CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium low, whisk in the flour and continue to cook, stirring constantly. You are essentially making a roux without browning it. Stir in the seafood seasoning, nutmeg, bay leaf and pepper, then whisk in the sherry and clam juice. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the seafood stock and crab roe, if using, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream and Worcestershire, return to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, another 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth (or use a regular blender; let cool slightly first, and use caution when blending hot liquids). Season with salt. Stir in the crabmeat and garnish with crab roe if desired.

SOUTH CAROLINA SHE-CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and bay leaf, sweat down for 2 minutes until translucent. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it dissolves. Whisk in the stock, stirring constantly until smooth and free of lumps. Gradually pour in the milk, cream, and paprika; continue to stir until incorporated. Add half the crab meat and roe. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until thick and heated through.
• To serve, divide a tablespoon of sherry among 4 bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls, spooning the remaining crab meat and roe in the center of each. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with crusty French bread.
• Pour water in a large stockpot and place over low-medium flame. Add the vegetables and bouquet garni; cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to become tender. Add the lemon juice, crab boil seasoning, peppercorns, wine and salt. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring to mingle flavors. Carefully put the crabs in the pot and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. The crab shells will be bright orange when done. Remove and shell the crabs. Strain the stock to discard the vegetable solids, reserving the crab meat and stock.

SHE CRAB SOUP II

Steps:

• In a stockpot over medium heat, melt butter and saute onions until translucent. Whisk in flour and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with some of the milk if necessary. Add crabmeat and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in milk and heavy cream. Heat and simmer 5 minutes.

BEST OF THE BAY RECIPES...SHE CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Purchase one dozen female crabs already steamed or buy them live and steam them yourself. Pick the crabs for all their meat and reserve the orange roe. In a sauté pan, melt 4 tablespoons butter and sauté the onion and shallots until just tender.
• Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes while stirring, taking care not to brown the flour mixture. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and stock. Add in the salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco (if using). Cook on medium until the soup thickens, about 15 - 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
• While you are thickening the soup, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan and toss the crabmeat and roe until heated through, 3-4 minutes. Once the soup has thickened add the crabmeat mixture and stir. Add the sherry and lemon juice and simmer for several minutes until heated through.
• Serve with a light salad of mixed greens and French bread and enjoy!
• You can send a gift of She Crab Soup to a loved one too far away to get Blue Crabs with our popular Chesapeake Bay Tradition Gift Basket. (link: http://www.chesapeakebaygiftbaskets.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=156).