Shelly's Recipe

SHE-CRAB SOUP

Category: Soups

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
Pinch of curry powder and ground turmeric
1 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
5 cups clam juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 cups heavy cream
2 lbs fresh crabmeat, drained and picked
Salt and pepper

Melt butter with oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; saute 8 minutes or until tender.
Stir in flour and next 5 ingredients; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add sherry and clam juice; stir until well blended. Stir in parsley and tarragon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until reduced to 4 cups.

Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a separate bowl or pan, pressing on solids with a spatula; discard solids. Return soup to Dutch oven; stir in cream. Cook over medium heat 25 minutes or until soup is thickened. Add crabmeat; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield
Makes 9 cups

NOTE: Serve steaming hot with a splash of sherry and freshly ground black pepper.