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Mama's Picks

South Carolina She-Crab Soup

Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

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About

Hailing from the Lowcountry of South Carolina, South Carolina She-Crab Soup is one of those regional specialties that convinces whoever tastes it to travel to that region immediately to experience more of it. Thankfully, you don't need to buy a plane ticket to enjoy South Carolina She-Crab Soup. In fact, you don't even need a full 30 minutes! All you need is the rich, creamy, bisque-like broth filled with lumps of the juicy crabmeat. Zesty, beautifully seasoned, and just a touch spicy, this is a soup that's truly soup-er!


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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 cups seafood stock
  • 2 cups heavy cream, at or close to room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 pound lump crab meat, picked through, cooked, and divided
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry

Directions

Step 1 -Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Step 2 -Add the onion to the butter and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 3 -Add the flour to the onion mixture and blend to make a roux, about 2 minutes.

Step 4 -Add the seafood stock to the roux, stirring well.

Step 5 -Reduce the heat to low and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 6 -Stir small amounts of the roux mixture into the heavy cream to help temper it.

Step 7 -Add the tempered cream to the stockpot and bring the mixture to a light boil, raising the heat as needed.

Step 8 -Reduce the heat to low.

Step 9 -Add the Worcestershire sauce, the lemon zest, the mace, the Old Bay seasoning, the cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 of the crab meat.

Step 10 -Simmer the soup for 5 minutes.

Step 11 -Combine the remaining salt, the remaining crab, and the sherry in a small bowl.

Step 12 -Serve the soup, topping each bowl with a scoop of the crab and sherry mixture in the center.

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