Creole Crab-Meat Soup

Name: Creole Crab-Meat Soup
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: creole
Ingredients: 2 large lemons; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 4 cups canned peeled Italian tomatoes, seeded and chopped, with their juice; 4 cups shellfish stock or fish stock; 1 bay leaf; 1 large sprig parsley; 1 sprig marjoram; 1 tablespoon chopped mint, plus 1 tablespoon for taste, if desired; 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon; 1 pound lump crab meat; Salt to taste; Pinch of cayenne pepper or more to taste

By Julia Reed

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating: 4(11)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: FOOD; Into Plein-Air

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

2large lemons
3tablespoons butter
1medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2cloves garlic, minced
4cups canned peeled Italian tomatoes, seeded and chopped, with their juice
4cups shellfish stock or fish stock
1bay leaf
1large sprig parsley
1sprig marjoram
1tablespoon chopped mint, plus 1 tablespoon for taste, if desired
1tablespoon chopped tarragon
1pound lump crab meat
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper or more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Remove the zest from 1 lemon in one long strip, if possible, with a vegetable peeler; set aside. Juice the peeled lemon. Thinly slice the remaining lemon into 4 to 6 pieces; set aside for garnish.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a deep, large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the stock and turn the heat up to medium-high. When the mixture boils, turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the bay leaf and the rest of the herbs, the lemon zest strip and 1½ tablespoons of the lemon juice. Simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 3
Add the crab meat and simmer gently until the soup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne and more lemon juice, if needed. Discard the bay leaf and parsley and marjoram sprigs. Add another tablespoon of fresh mint at the last minute. After you spoon the soup into bowls, top each serving with a lemon slice.