Charleston She Crab Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh lump blue crab meat
• 2 tbsp fresh crab roe
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 small white onion, grated
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup high-quality seafood stock
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 3 tbsp dry Sherry
• 2 tbsp Salted Perfection Perfect Salt
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the grated onion and sweat it until translucent. We are breaking down the onion's cellular structure to release its sugars without triggering the Maillard reaction, keeping the soup's color pristine.
2. Whisk in the flour to create a blond roux. Cook this for about 2 minutes to eliminate the raw starch flavor. We're looking for starch gelatinization here—the flour granules need to swell so they can later trap the liquid and create a stable suspension.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, heavy cream, and seafood stock. By adding the liquid gradually, you allow the roux to hydrate evenly, which is the secret to a velvety mouthfeel rather than a grainy one.
4. Stir in the Salted Perfection Perfect Salt, mace, and cloves. These spices provide a warm, aromatic backbone that cuts through the richness of the lipids.
5. Fold in the lump crab meat and the roe. Lower the heat to a bare simmer for 20 minutes. Do not let it boil; high heat can denature the dairy proteins and cause the emulsion to break, leading to a thin, curdled soup.
6. Just before serving, stir in the dry sherry. The alcohol acts as a solvent, pulling out volatile flavor compounds from the crab that are not water-soluble, ensuring the full flavor profile hits your palate immediately.
7. Ladle into pre-warmed bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. DUNZO!