She Crab Soup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, diced
1 small carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of nutmeg
Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
2 cups clam juice (bottled)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb. fresh crab meat
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry sherry
Fresh chopped parsley and paprika, for garnish
Directions:
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add shallots, celery, carrots, and bell pepper, then sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits.
Whisk in clam juice, chicken broth, rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, nutmeg, and salt and white pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the rice is very soft. Remove from heat.
Working in batches, carefully puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Add the crab meat and whisk in the heavy cream. Cook just until heated through, then stir in the sherry during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. If needed, thin the soup with additional broth to reach the desired consistency.
Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, a dash of paprika, and an optional extra splash of sherry.
Servings: 4-6