Maryland Crab Soup, the not cream, style is a hearty and flavorful delight. It can be served as a soup course, a side, and a main dish.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 hourshours
Cook Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Equipment
1 Large pot, at least 8 quarts or liters
3 bowls needed for the chopped vegetables
1 large spoon used in stirring the pot
1 chef or gyuto knife You might have to slice and dice a lot of veggies
Ingredients
28ozcan diced tomatoes with juiceI use Rotel tomatoes with chilies
3eabay leaf
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1poundcrab meatpicked
4stripsbacon, chopped
1/2eaonion, choppedyellow or red
2stalkscelery, chopped
1clovegarlic, minced
3TbspOld Bay substitute O
1tspLemon PepperI use store bought
1TbspWorchester Sauce
1quartCrab, fish, or vegetable stock`
3cupswater
2cupspotatoes, red or white, small dice
2cupsmixed vegetablessee notes below
Instructions
Chopping and Dicing
Chop the bacon so it can be rendering in the pot while the other vegetables are being chopped, diced or prepared for the pot
Chop the onion, garlic and celery and set aside.
Dice the potatoes
Dice the carrots
Open the Rotal tomatoes can, do not drain.
Prepare the remaining vegetables, either open cans, bags, or boxes and portion in bowls for the pot
Cooking
In the soup pot start the bacon rendering, let it cook until light brown
Add the onions and celery and sauté until onion is translucent, then add the garlic and continue with the sauté about one minute, but not much longer, garlic cooks fast.
Add the flavoring spices, Old Bay, Worchester Sauce, and lemon pepper. Stir into the mixture until all has been covered.
Add in all ingredients except the crab meat. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes depending on your elevation.
Carefully stir in the crab. Simmer about 10 minutes.
Notes
The vegetable mix will depend on your likes, the season (summer fresh picked). Mix and match, add what you like. Some people like okra, if you do then cut it up and hot fry so it is browned before adding to the soup.a) Fresh/frozen mix • 2 carrots small dice • ½ cup small lima beans • 1 cup green beans snapped • 1/3 cup corn OR b) Packaged/fresh • 2 to 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables adding frozen or fresh as desired (I like to add extra lima beans and fresh diced carrots)Serve with oyster crackers.