Savannah-Style Crab Soup

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

If the flour starts to brown too quickly, remove the skillet from the heat, and stir the flour constantly until it cools.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups clam juice
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
• 1/3 cup dry sherry

Directions

1. Place flour in a 9-inch cast iron skillet; cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until brown, stirring constantly with a whisk.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Melt butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
4. Add carrot and next 5 ingredients, and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
5. Add Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf; cook 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle browned flour over vegetable mixture, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
7. Stir in clam juice, and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.
9. Stir in milk and half-and-half; cook 4 minutes.
10. Stir in crabmeat and sherry; cook 5 minutes or until soup is thoroughly heated.
11. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1 cup)