She-crab Soup

Okay, so here's a recipe I found from Hurricane Mo's, a restaurant on the island I grew up on. I found this on the OBX cookbook and changed it a little bit. Technically, she-crab soup is made from female crabs and gets the pink color from their eggs. However, this recipe just used picked claw meat instead and old bay. I don't know what it is, probably a mental thing, but I don't like the idea of eating crab eggs...lol. Needless to say, I am not a big caviar fan either. Anyway...I freeze this in portions like the rest of my soups and I enjoy it months later. If I don't eat them sooner. We would have this with dinner some time if anyone in my family wasn't afraid of change, but since they are meat and potatoes people...I get to enjoy it ALL by myself. Hey, at least I don't have to share! :)

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2  red bell pepper, chopped

1 T. parsley

1 T. Old Bay

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 cup + 2 T. sherry (divided)

1 cup flour

½ gallon whole milk (divided)

1 cup cream
2 T. Texas Pete

1 lb picked claw crab meat

Saute onions, celery, and red pepper in butter until tender. Don't skimp on the butter people! No margarine, please.

Add parsley, Old Bay, and white pepper.Add 1/8 cup sherry and reduce for 20-30 minutes.Do not scorch.

Thicken with flour and stir roux until well blended.Add 1 quart milk and texas pete and cook on lowest possible flame and stir constantly until thickened.Add 1 more quart milk and keep stirring periodically until thickened

.When thickened, finish with cream, remaining 2 T. sherry, and crab meat. I got my crab meat from Walmart in the refrigerated section where you'd find other seafood. It was surprisingly pretty tasty. Although I haven't had fresh crab meat in years, so I'm sure there is a big difference. It was still delicious for those of us who don't live by the ocean anymore.

Serve it up with some oyster crackers and enjoy!

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