No Tears Crab Soup
Light & Creamy Crab Soup
Just add bread & a salad for a delicious no-fuss meal.
"Tossed crab dip!" I announced with a laugh as the hot dish flew from my hands and landed on the deck floor. In truth, I wanted to cry. All that trouble wasted, not to mention the expense!
I'd gotten the recipe from Southern Living, and the list of ingredients was as long as my arm. Not only that, but it had been quite labor intensive.
These days, I know better. When it comes to important dinners and/or expensive ingredients, I stick with easy recipes that are virtually no fail. They take less time to prepare, and they don't leave me as tired, so I'm less likely to "trip up" and make a mistake.
Similar recipes leave out the whole milk, using half & half and whipping cream alone. To me that's not rich, that's nauseatingly rich, which is why I use whole milk and/or chicken broth as well. They make for a lighter dish that's just as creamy and delicious.
As for the crab, I prefer backfin for soup (it's less expensive) and lump for crab cakes.
The following recipe makes enough crab soup for four entrees. If using as a starter course, it easily serves eight.
I hope your friends and family like No Tears Crab Soup as much as mine do.
CREAMY CRAB SOUP RECIPE
Don't be crabby!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1/4 C. butter, unsalted
- 1 pkg. McCormick Hollandaise Sauce, dry mix
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. curry powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp. hot dry mustard
- 2 C. half and half, divided
- 2 C. whole milk and/or chicken broth
- 1 C. whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp. celery seed
- 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 lb. crab meat, lump or backfin
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. dry sherry, or more to taste
The Secret? Steady Whisking.
The secret to lump-free soup is whisking. First, whisk the milk & dry ingredients together. Then keep whisking while adding them (slowly) to the hot butter. Continue whisking until you bring the soup to a simmer. If the soup starts to boil too fast, take the pot off the heat & (you guessed it!) continue whisking until the boiling subsides.
Instructions
- Melt butter on high heat in stockpot or 4-quart saucepan. Meanwhile mix hollandaise mix, flour, curry and mustard.
- With a whisk, mix 1 C. half & half and 1 C. whole milk into the dry mixture until well blended. Then slowly pour the mixture into the melted butter, whisking all the while.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. This will take 5 minutes or less.
- Add Old Bay, celery seed, whipping cream and remaining half & half, whole milk and/or chicken broth.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and then reduce to low heat.
- Gently stir in crab meat and sherry. Cook on low until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with Ritz crackers or hot rolls.
Soup's On!
Serve crab soup up right in colorful Fiestaware mugs made in the USA.
