Fresh King Crab Soup Recipe

A variety of recipes using crab meat, both fresh and frozen. Crab recipes include appetizers, dips, casseroles, salads, barbecue, using jumbo lump crab meat, backfin crab meat, claw crab meat and more.

King Crab Soup

Episode: North to Alaska
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped leeks, whites only, well rinsed
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart reduced King crab stock, or fish stock, at room temperature
11/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound King crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage
6 steamed King crab legs
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened but not colored, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the Essence, bay leaves and thyme, and stir. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat evenly. Cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, until thick and a light roux forms, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the stock, stirring until well blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper and crabmeat and simmer for 5 minutes. Place King crab legs in a steamer to heat up. Remove the soup from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. To serve, ladle the soup in deep rimmed bowls.

Garnish each serving with 1 King crab leg, green onions, and chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New Orleans Cooking".

Crab Bisque

4 Maryland crabs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
5 shallots, chopped
3 sprigs fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons Cognac
2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 cups fish stock or water
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper
Pinch dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups heavy cream
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon minced chives or parsley leaves

Remove the claws from the crabs and quarter the bodies. Heat a 6-quart stockpot. Add the oil and sauté the crab pieces until they are red. Remove the pieces as they are cooked. Add the carrot, celery, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and tarragon and continue to sauté for 10 minutes. Pour in the cognac and ignite. When the flame has subsided, deglaze with white wine, and add the tomato paste, crab, and enough fish stock to cover. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, and bay leaf and boil gently for 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan, reduce the cream by half. Remove the crab bodies from the pot and set aside. Add the reduced cream to the soup. Puree the soup, in batches, in a food processor. Strain the pureed soup and keep warm.
Remove the meat from the claws and cut into bite-size pieces and add to the soup. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve in heated soup bowls and garnish with minced chives or parsley.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Cheese and Crab Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 small white onion, chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup of corn
1(14 1/2ounce)can diced tomatoes, drained
12-16 ounces fresh lump crabmeat(I usually use a full pound)
2 1/2 cups sharp or mild shredded cheddar cheese
salt, if needed, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion and celery until tender.

Add flour stirring constantly.

Stir in milk gradually; add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.

Add corn, tomatoes and crabmeat; simmer about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in cheese until soup is heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings