Batch Size
Serves 10
As with any soup, this is infinitely adjustable. Below, ingredients are noted that can easily be adjusted to meet your tastes without compromising the overall quality of the soup.
Ingredients
| Qty | Unit | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|
Instructions
- Heat the pot:
- Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Sauté the shallots:
- Add olive oil and shallots, stirring frequently until the shallots are softened, about three minutes.
- Add tomatoes & sherry:
- Add the tomatoes and sherry (be careful when adding alcohol near an open flame) and simmer while stirring for about two minutes.
- Add stock & lemon:
- Add fish stock and lemon juice to the pot.
- Turn down heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for fifteen minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
- Season:
- Reduce the heat to low and add in the initial quantities of cream, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Stir to combine, then taste — adjusting the ingredients as necessary until it is flavored to your liking.
- Add the crab:
- Once the broth is finished, add in the lump crab.
- Stir the soup and cook for five minutes, or just until the cream and crab are warmed through.
- Turn off the heat and serve immediately.
- Serves 10.
- Make fish stock (optional — skip this if using store-bought):
- In a 7- to 8-quart stockpot, combine the fish bones, white wine, and just enough water to cover (you won't need the full 2 quarts of water here). Bring to a boil, skimming off the white foam from the top of the stock as it approaches boiling, then reduce the heat so the stock simmers. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.)
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and stir them into the liquid. If the ingredients are not covered by the liquid, add a little more water. Allow the stock to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Remove the stock from the stove, stir it again, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the stock after it has completely cooled and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Equipment needed: a 7- to 8-quart stockpot, a ladle, and a fine-mesh strainer.