Charleston Crab Soup

Cooking With Rania - "Southern Cooking"
KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live 8/08/2012

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Charleston Crab Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh (or frozen) blue crab claw meat
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 quart whole milk
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart half-and-half
1/4-1/2 cup cornstarch
Generous dash of Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons sherry or to taste
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Pick over the crabmeat. Remove and discard all cartilage or shell bits. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, stirring to coat, and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups of the milk, the cream, and the half-and-half. Heat to just boiling, stirring often. Dissolve ¼ cup cornstarch plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for a thicker soup in the remaining 1 cup of milk and add to the soup, stirring well. Add the Worcestershire sauce, sherry, Old Bay Seasoning, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly. When the soup is thickened (thickened enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes), add the crabmeat. Heat through over low heat. Thin with more heavy cream or half-and-half before serving if the soup is too thick as well as to “stretch for extra servings”. Serve hot.

Serves 10