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A Creamy Crab Soup RecipeThis crab soup recipe has a nice, creamy broth that will work with any crab meat, including the traditional Southern "she-crab", which is simply an immature female Blue Crab. Often the roe (eggs) from the female crab is included, which is why it
has a distinct flavor. However, as I mentioned, any crab meat will do. Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green onion, chopped 1 half green pepper, finely chopped 6 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups fresh crabmeat 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream 3 tablespoons dry sherry Splash of Tobasco sauce Chopped parsley for garnish White Sauce Preparation1. In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium-low heat.2. Add the flour, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or whisk to remove any lumps. 3. Cook the butter and flour mixture for a minute or so to cook out the floury taste. 4. Remove the mixture from the heat, and begin to add the milk a bit at a time. Whisk well to remove lumps. 5. After all the milk has been added, return the sauce to the heat. Gently heat the sauce, stirring occassionally. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep on low heat while you prepare the rest of the soup. Crab Soup Recipe Preparation1. In soup pot, melt remaining butter on medium low heat.2. Add onion, green onion and green pepper. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until onions are soft. 3. Add crab meat, cook for a few minutes to warm the crab meat through. 4. Pour in the white sauce, stir everything together. 5. Add cream. Gently heat the soup until it is hot, stirring frequently to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. 6. Add Tobasco, sherry, and serve garnished with parsley. NotesAs mentioned above, you can substitute different sea food in this crab soup recipe. Lobster is another terrific option, one that I hope to try soon!The white sauce is what makes this soup work. One thing you might want to try is the traditional addition of nutmeg to the white sauce, but not too much because you do not want to overpower the subtle taste of the seafood. Tips and TechniquesSeasoning your food early in the cooking process is important. By adding salt and pepper at the beginning you will draw the flavors of the food out, making everything tastier. Adding salt and pepper at the end should just be a matter of a slight adjustment to the flavor, not the creation of flavor.This is especially true of subtle flavors as with this crab soup recipe. Don't be afraid to salt the onion and green pepper mix as you begin to cook it, as that will make them even tastier than they already are. And instead of just making them saltier, you will draw some of the flavor out of the onions and pepper, as salt draws moisture out of whatever it touches. For this reason, you should also lightly salt the crab meat before you add it. If you wait until the end, you will need to add more salt than you would have needed at the start, or else have a bland soup. Return From Crab Soup Recipe to Cream Soups
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