She Crab Soup
Submitted by freefood
Classic Southern she crab soup with crab roe, claw meat, sherry, cream, and egg yolks in a rich fish and chicken stock base. Charleston’s most iconic seafood soup, silky and luxurious.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsIf Charleston, South Carolina had a signature dish, this would be it. She crab soup gets its name from the female crabs whose orange roe gives this soup its distinctive richness and subtle sweetness that no other ingredient can replicate.
The base is a double-stock affair: fish stock and chicken broth simmered with leeks, celery, onion, a touch of tomato paste, and oregano. Crab roe and claw meat go in near the end, followed by a splash of sherry and a hit of Worcestershire.
Beaten egg yolks and cream stirred in off the heat turn it into something impossibly silky. Serve it the moment it comes together. This soup does not wait for anyone.
Chef Tips
- Add the crabmeat and roe for only 5 minutes of cooking; longer and the delicate flavor cooks out
- Stir the egg yolks and cream in off the heat to prevent curdling
- Use dry sherry, not cooking sherry, for clean flavor without the added salt
- If crab roe is unavailable, crumble hard-boiled egg yolks over each bowl as a traditional substitute
Ingredients
Directions
Melt butter in saucepan, add vegs. and simmer until tender.
Mix flour, tomato paste and oregano.
Stir well.
Stir in chicken broth and fish stock.
Boil 30 min., stirring occasionally. To this mixture, add crab roe, crabmeat, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes ONLY.
Remove from heat. Add egg yolks and cream.
Serve at once.
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