posted by scooby 07-12-100 3:37 PM
Classic She Crab Soup
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 green onion, minced
1 rib celery, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups fish stock, or bottled clam juice
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds crabmeat, picked free of shell and cartilage
1/4 cup sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large hard-boiled eggs, optional
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 thin slices lemon (optional)
Press the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve and set aside.
Place eggs in a 2 quart saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10-12 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water and cool.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the green onions and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, milk and cream. Bring to a simmer.
Add cooked egg yolks, crabmeat, sherry, salt and pepper and heat through. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with a pinch of paprika and a lemon slice.
Traditional she crab soup uses crab roe rather than egg yolk, but this is sometimes difficult to find if you aren't doing your own crabbing and cooking your own crabs.