SHE-CRAB SOUP DELUXE

YIELD: 4 – 8 OZ. SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBSP      Butter

3 TBSP      Flour

2 C            Half & half 

1 C            Heavy cream

2 TBSP      Butter

1 lb.          Crab meat (check for cartridge)

1/4 tsp.      Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp.      Old Bay

1 TBSP      Butter

1/3 C         Onion, very finely chopped

1/3 C         Celery, very thinly sliced

3/4 tsp.      Worcestershire sauce

                Salt to taste

                White pepper to taste

1/2 tsp.      Lemon zest

3              Hardboiled egg YOLKS (Substitute for Roe) – crumbled

3 TBSP      Dry sherry

1 TBSP      Fresh parsley – chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Boil three eggs to hardboiled – about 10 minutes.  Peel and remove yolks and set them aside.  Discard whites.  Chop parsley and set aside for garnish.  Heat oven to 200° - turn off heat and place serving bowl in oven to warm them.

In a large, heavy pot over low heat, melt 3 TBSP butter; add flour and blend until smooth. Slowly add cream and half & half cream, stirring constantly with a whisk; cook until thickened.  DO NOT BOIL!

In a medium skillet, melt 2 TBSP butter.  Add crab meat, cayenne and Old bay.  Stir gently and cook over medium heat for about a minute – add to cream mixture and stir slowly to blend.

In same skillet, melt 1 TBSP butter – add onions and celery and cook until soft – about 2-3 minutes.  Add to crab/cream mixture and stir

Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, white pepper, and lemon zest to cream mixture.  Bring just to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes (if the soup appears about to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a minute or so, then return). Check for salt and pepper and adjust as desired.

Remove from heat and add sherry, stirring to mix. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes before serving. 

To serve, sprinkle crumbled egg yolks in the bottom of the warm serving bowls.  Pour the soup slowly over the yolks, dividing the crabmeat and roe equally into each bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

[Just so you know - in many coastal areas it is illegal to catch female crabs that are in the 'berry stage,' i.e., carrying eggs (roe) externally in the abdominal flap.  So check local laws if you are catching your own crabs]