Award Winning Maryland Cream of Crab Soup

By Lsweetnell

Take a trip to the coast from the comfort of your own kitchen with this hearty crab soup recipe. Old Bay seasoning adds authenticity to the rich flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Maryland jumbo lump crab meat, divided
• 1 pint milk
• 1 quart half and half
• 2 pints heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning, divided
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus more if needed to make a paste
• cold water or cornstarch to make a cornstarch paste

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the lump crab meat by gently picking pick through to remove as much cartilage as you can find. Try to preserve as much of the lumpy texture as you can. A small side bowl of room temperature water will help to get the cartilage off your fingers as you work. Discard cartilage. Set crab meat aside.

Bring milk, half and half, and heavy whipping cream to a boil. Add 1/3 crab meat, fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, butter, salt, and pepper.

When it starts to boil, make a paste of cornstarch, and cold water, tap or otherwise, or cold chicken stock. Start by added the cornstarch to a small bowl and slowly whisking in the liquid until a paste forms. Whisk the paste into the soup to prevent lumps and whisk until the soup has thickened. If lumps do form continue whisking until they have been whisked out.

Add another 1/3 of the crab meat, stirring gently to preserve the lumps of the lump crab meat, just until crab is heated through. Soup should be fairly thick. Garnish with remaining crab and a dash of remaining Old Bay.