Cook the Book: Maryland Crab Soup

Name: Cook the Book: Maryland Crab Soup
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 992 grams plum tomatoes; 355 milliliters chopped celery; 3 Tbsps Old Bay seasoning 1 tablespoon red chile flakes; 454 grams fresh crab claw meat, picked over; 1 kilograms 12 fresh blue crabs (about or 2 Dungeness crabs, cut in half (or 12 blue crab carcasses); 355 milliliters fresh corn kernels (about 3 cobs); 355 milliliters fresh or frozen peas; 355 milliliters 1/4-inch-dice green beans; 355 milliliters fresh or frozen lima beans; 1 medium onion, chopped; 355 milliliters diced potatoes; 3 Tbsps salt; 227 grams thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch squares; 8 liters water

Cook the Book: Maryland Crab Soup might be just the main course you are searching for. This gluten free and dairy free recipe serves 12. One portion of this dish contains about 37g of protein, 10g of fat, and a total of 347 calories. If you have lima beans, potatoes, dice beans, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the water you could follow this main course with the Watermelon-Peach Slushies as a dessert. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Autumn. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.

Instructions

In a skillet, cook the bacon and onion over medium-high heat, stirring, until half-cooked and not yet crispy, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Bacon

Onion

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

In a large stockpot, add the water and tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the live crabs and boil for 12 minutes.

Remove the crabs and set aside to cool. (If using carcasses, leave them in the pot.) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Equipment you will use

Pot

Meanwhile, remove the meat from the crabs and set aside. As this is mysteriously complicated unless you are from Maryland, see the instructions below for guidance on how to shell a crab.

Ingredients you will need

Crab

Meat

After the soup has been simmering for 1 hour, add the celery, corn, green beans, peas, lima beans, potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, red chile flakes, and the reserved bacon and onion; if you have used crab carcasses and shells, strain the soup before adding the vegetables and discard the shells. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked, about 30 minutes. Season with salt.

Ingredients you will need

Old Bay Seasoning

Red Pepper Flakes

Green Beans

Lima Beans

Vegetable

Potato

Celery

Pasta Shells

Bacon

Onion

Corn

Crab

Peas

Salt

Soup

Add the reserved crab meat and add the fresh claw meat, stir, and serve.

Ingredients you will need

Crabmeat

Meat

How to Pick Crabs

Twist off the claws and legs.

Place the crab on its back and pull the apron up and off.

Ingredients you will need

Crab

Cut the bottom shell just under the mouth with a knife.

Equipment you will use

Knife

Remove and discard the spongy white gills, which are inedible.

Snap the crab body into halves.

Ingredients you will need

Crab

Twist off the back fins.

Crack the claws with a mallet to remove the claw meat.

Ingredients you will need

Meat

Remove the meat from the other parts with a nut pick.

Ingredients you will need

Meat

Equipment

Frying Pan

Pot

Knife

Ingredients

Servings:

992grams

plum tomatoes 355milliliters

chopped celery 3Tbsps

Old Bay seasoning 1 tablespoon red chile flakes 454grams

fresh crab claw meat, picked over 1kilograms

12 fresh blue crabs (about or 2 Dungeness crabs, cut in half (or 12 blue crab carcasses)355milliliters

fresh corn kernels (about 3 cobs)355milliliters

fresh or frozen peas 355milliliters

1/4-inch-dice green beans 355milliliters

fresh or frozen lima beans 1medium

onion, chopped 355milliliters

diced potatoes 3Tbsps

salt 227grams

thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch squares 8liters

water

Recommended wine: Chardonnay, Muscadet, Riesling

Shellfish can be paired with Chardonnay, Muscadet, and Riesling. Buttery chardonnay is great for scallops, shrimp, crab, and lobster, while muscadet is a classic pick for mussels, oysters, and clams. If you've got some spice in your shellfish, a semi-dry riesling can balance out the heat. The Lapis Luna Chardonnay with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 13 dollars per bottle.