Best Blue Crab And Melon Soup With Nori Crème Fraîche Recipes

STEAMED BLUE CRABS

Steps:

• Place a steamer pot or any large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid on the stove. (In the latter case, improvise a rack on the bottom of the pot that will keep crabs a few inches from the bottom.) Add the beer, vinegar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Put a layer of crabs on the rack in the pot. Sprinkle with a generous amount of seasoning, then repeat with another layer, and another, until all 12 crabs are in pot (and well seasoned). Cover and steam over medium-high heat until the crabs are bright red, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the crabs with tongs. Serve over newspaper, with mallets and picks.

CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Saute the carrots, leek, onion, diced celery ribs and thyme in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the crab or lobster shells and cook for 10 minutes. Add the shallots and saute for five more minutes. Add the Chardonnay and simmer, uncovered, for five minutes. Then add the lobster or fish broth and reduce for 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Strain the soup and add sea salt and pepper to taste.
• Put eight pieces of lump crab in each serving bowl. Add the rest of the lump crab and the special crab to the stock and reduce it for 10 minutes more. Then puree in a blender or food processor and strain through a sieve.
• In boiling salted water, blanch the julienned carrot and turnip for five minutes, the zucchini and celery for one minute. Immerse them immediately in cold water and drain.
• Crisscross the lump crab in each soup bowl with julienned strips. Sprinkle with a touch of lobster coral or green scallion. Place the bowls in a warm oven for three minutes, then transfer them to individual place settings at the table. Serve the soup in a tureen.

BLUE CRAB AND MELON SOUP WITH NORI CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Pour enough water into a large stockpot fitted with a strainer basket to reach bottom of strainer. Bring to a boil, and add crabs. Cover and steam for five minutes. Transfer steamed crabs in strainer to sink to cool.
• Working in batches, purée melon in a food processor until smooth, and reserve (you should have six and a half cups purée).
• When crabs are cool enough to handle, clean them: with kitchen scissors, cut off eyes and mouth, and remove and discard top shells and spongy, pointed gills beneath. From underside of each crab, remove cape of shell that tapers to a point, and discard. With a large sharp chef's knife, chop crabs into small pieces, and reserve.
• In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-low heat, add leeks and salt, and sauté, stirring, until tender but not browned, six minutes. Add chopped crabs, and cook over medium heat about 8 minutes, or until pan is nearly dry and crabs are very fragrant. Pour 1/4 cup chardonnay into pan and continue to cook, stirring, two minutes. Pour melon purée over crabs and leeks, and add seeds. Simmer over medium-low heat for a half-hour, stirring occasionally.
• Place crème fraîche in a small bowl, and set it in a medium bowl filled with ice. Whip with a whisk until thick, about two minutes.
• Tear seaweed paper into pieces about 1-inch-square. Working in batches, process them to a powder in a spice grinder or coffee mill. Fold one tablespoon of powder into thickened crème fraîche.
• Strain soup through a fine mesh strainer. Add remaining chardonnay, lump crab meat and chives. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, and divide evenly among six bowls. Garnish with dollops of nori crème fraîche and serve immediately.