She-Crab Soup
Charleston is a city with a lot of signature dishes, and She-Crab Soup is among them. Locals insist that the meat of the female crabs is sweeter—an easy notion to believe—but the definitive element of this soup isn’t the meat, it’s the roe. The roe is extremely seasonal and sometimes hard to come by even in season, so responsible and creative cooks have taken to grating a boiled egg yolk over the soup when necessary. I like to make this soup a day before and let it rest in the fridge overnight. It seems to make it crabbier.
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Served Person: 6
contains white meat
tree nut free
nut free
contains gluten
red meat free
contains fish
contains dairy
contains eggs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 cup brown chicken stock
- 2 cups picked crab mean (about 1 pound), any mix of lump, jumbo lump, or back fin
- 2 tablespoons crab roe or 2 hard-boiled egg yolks, grated, for garnish
- paprika for garnihs
- Carbohydrate 13.7315516776871 g
- Cholesterol 32.3533333434775 mg
- Fat 11.7242391700279 g
- Fiber 0.712000014583639 g
- Protein 4.94510000391031 g
- Saturated Fat 7.13602316856878 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (221g)
- Sodium 516.432850236967 mg
- Sugar 13.0195516631035 g
- Trans Fat 1.01542900040469 g
- Calories 186 calories
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the flour, whisk to create a roux, and cook for 4 minutes (the roux should not brown). Add the stock and Worcestershire and whisk, then add the milk and continue to whisk. Reduce the heat to low, add 1 1/2 cups of the crab meat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the sherry and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Serve in wide, shallow bowls. Garnish with the remaining crab meat, roe or egg yolk, and dust with paprika.
