She Crab Soup From Grand Central Oyster Bar Executive Chef Sandy Ingber Recipes

SHE CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• In a large, heavy bottomed soup pot, saute the onions and celery in the whole butter until translucent. Stir in the flour and cook over a low flame for approximately 5 minutes. Add a splash of Sherry then the cream, stir this then add the water and milk. Now add the salt, Tabassco and crab roe, bring to a simmer then add the crabmeat. Stir in the crab gently as to not break the lumps. If the soup appears too thick, add a little more milk and adjust the seasonings. Serve in a soup cup and garnish with the scallions, chives and a splash of sherry.

SHE CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat, add 3/4 pound butter, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and cook until the vegetables have begun to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry, and stir and scrape up any bits. Once deglazed, add the flour and stir into the butter to create a roux. Once well mixed, add the stock and cream, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring throughout to ensure the soup does not scorch.
• Pulse the soup with a hand mixer to mince the vegetables. Add the crab boil seasoning, crab roe, and parsley and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the soup from heat, whisk in the remaining 1/4 pound butter, and stir in the crab meat.

CLASSIC SHE CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Place eggs in a 2 quart saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10-12 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water and cool.
• Press the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve and set aside.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the green onions and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, milk and cream. Bring to a simmer.
• Add cooked egg yolks, crabmeat, sherry, salt and pepper and heat through. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with a pinch of paprika and a lemon slice.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER FROM GRAND CENTRAL OYSTER BAR'S SANDY INGBER

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top position and heat the broiler. Remove the (Royal Miyagi) oysters from their shells. Oysters should be on the half shell.
• Arrange the shells on a rimmed baking sheet and spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the creamed spinach into each shell. (You'll have some spinach left over.) Set the oysters on top of the spinach. Broil until the oysters are just starting to ruffle, about 1 minute. Remove from the broiler and nap each oyster with about 1 tablespoon hollandaise sauce. Broil until the sauce browns, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• Using tongs, divide the oysters among 4 dinner plates and serve.
• Creamed Spinach.
• Place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess liquid.
• Transfer the spinach to a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is warm. Stir in the vin blanc sauce, then season with nutmeg and salt and stir again. Keep the spinach warm until you serve it.
• Hollandaise Sauce.
• Put the egg yolks and wine in a large stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water. Whisk vigorously until the yolks are light and tripled in volume. The consistency will be like a pudding, and the yolks will make a ribbon that sits on the surface for 3 seconds when you lift the whisk. Be careful not to scramble the eggs as you whisk; make sure to whisk along the sides of the bowl, and take the bowl off the heat periodically.
• Set the bowl on the counter-on a damp kitchen towel to keep it steady-and whisk in the butter in a very slow, steady stream. Don't add the butter too quickly, or the sauce will break. Once all the butter is added, whisk in the lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt.
• Keep the sauce warm until you're ready to serve it.

SHE-CRAB SOUP FROM GRAND CENTRAL OYSTER BAR EXECUTIVE CHEF SANDY INGBER

Steps:

• To make the stock: Combine the crabs, water, celery, carrot, onion, leek top, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, Old Bay, and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at an active simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the stock and reserve (you can refrigerate overnight). When the crabs are cool enough to handle, crack them and pick the meat. Cover and refrigerate until needed. If the crabs have roe, reserve it separately, also covered in the refrigerator. Discard the other solids.
• To make the base: Combine 4 cups of the crab stock with the water and fish bouillon in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Don't let the roux brown. Gradually whisk in the warmed stock, making sure you don't leave any lumps, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking once in awhile, for 20 minutes.
• To finish the soup: While the base is simmering, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the celery, bring back to a boil, and blanch for 2 1/2 minutes. Drain, refresh the celery under cold running water, and drain again. Add the butter, sherry, brandy and roe to the base. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour in the cream and add the reserved crab meat, jumbo lump crab meat, and the celery. Bring back to a simmer and serve hot.
• Note: Crab base is available online. To make a quick crab stock, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer. Add HOW MUCH crab base and whisk to dissolve it. You'll need 1 1/2 cups of jumbo lump crab meat to finish the soup. You can order crab roe from charlestonseafood.com. but keep in mind that it's a seasonal product.