Crab and Asparagus Cream Soup

This is a rich but tasty cream soup that can be served in a chunky style, or your puree all the soup prior to adding the crab and strain out the remaining solids. I go both ways depending on the season and who I’m making it for. If the soup is for a fancy gourmet meal I puree and strain but if its for a group of hearty men who have been skiing or hunting all day, I go with the chunky version. The potential problem you have with the chunky version is that the asparagus can be distractedly chewy if you get greedy and try to cook too much of the stalk. A good rule of thumb is should hold the stalk at both ends and bend it, where it breaks is the portion you should use. If you are going to puree the stock, then clean the base of the asparagus and use what remains. You have the option of using real crab or imitation. Since I live in the desert, I have to used canned crab. Also, this is a roux-based soup, which makes it French, which makes it good.

Ingredients

  • 6.5 oz can of Crab meat – drained
  • 16 oz Heavy Cream
  • 8 oz Stock – seafood, chicken, or vegetable, your choice
  • 8 oz Asparagus – chopped
  • 1 Onion – diced
  • 1 Celery rib – chopped
  • 2 Red potatoes – cubed
  • 2 TBL Butter
  • 2 TBL Flour
  • 0.5 tsp Seafood seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Nutmeg – ground
  • Chopped Parsley for garnish

Process

  1. Mise en Place – Measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
  2. Make the Roux
    1. Heat a Dutch Oven on Med-high and melt the better.
    2. Saute onion and celery in the butter ~5 mins, until onions are translucent.
    3. Mix flour, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl.
    4. Add to the saute and continually stir until flour is toasted (~1-2 mins).
    5. In stages of 2 oz per cycle, add stock while stirring roux. Keep stirring until the lumps our out, even as the roux thickens.
    6. Repeat step 5, four times. Should have a smooth lump-free roux.
  3. Bring soup to a boil and hold 2 mins.
  4. Stir in potatoes and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10 mins.
  5. Add asparagus and cook 12 mins.
  6. If you are going to puree the soup, do so now and return to pot. The puree will be thicker than the chunky soup.
  7. Add cream and allow to return to a simmer.
  8. Add crab and parsley.
  9. Serve with parsley sprinkled on top.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email