Whiskeyed Crab Soup

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 1/2 lbs dungeness crabs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 lemon
• 1 dash tabasco sauce
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon old bay seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons whiskey
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt, to taste
• 1 dungeness crab, shells
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brandy or 1/4 cup cognac
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Recipe

• 1 clean the crab and remove the meat from the shell.
• 2 reserve the meat. use the shell to make the crab stock.
• 3 crab stock:.
• 4 heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot.
• 5 add the crab shells, carrot, onion and celery; brown lightly.
• 6 add brandy and ignite. when flames have expired, add the water, garlic, bay leaf, tarragon and tomato paste.
• 7 bring stock to a low simmer for 2 to 3 hours and reduce to 1 quart.
• 8 strain through a fine sieve and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 9 soup:.
• 10 make a roux in a heavy saucepan by melting 4 ounces (1 stick) butter over medium heat. when foam subsides, add the flour all at once. stir constantly, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring until it is blond-colored (about 5 minutes).
• 11 add crab stock, cup by cup, whisking thoroughly after each addition. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, skim frequently.
• 12 add heavy cream, juice from the lemon, tabasco, worcestershire, old bay and pepper. bring back to simmer for 10 minutes.
• 13 add the whiskey, sherry, 2 tablespoons butter and the reserved crab meat; cook 1 minute to heat through. salt to taste.