Maryland Cream of Crab Soup - Carrol's Creek

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Title: Maryland Cream of Crab Soup - Carrol's Creek
Categories: Soups, Main dish
Yield: 4 Servings

1 T Butter
1 sm Onion, chopped
2 Whole cloves
1 lg Bay leaf
1 T All-purpose flour
2 c Milk
1 c Whipping cream
1/8 t Ground nutmeg
1/8 t Cayenne pepper (or more)
1/2 lb Fresh crabmeat, picked over
8 oz Clam juice
1/4 c Dry Sherry
1/4 c Chopped fresh chives or
--green onions

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cloves
and bay leaf and saute until onion is tanslucent, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cream.
Add nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to med-low.
Simmer until slightly thickened, anout 15 minutes.

Strain soup into bowl, pressing on solids to release liquid. Return
liquid to same saucepan. Add crabmeat, clam juice, and Sherry; simmer
until thickened, about 15 minutes (do not boil). Season with additional
cayenne pepper, if desired, and salt and pepper.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over low heat.)

Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with chives.

Reprinted from Bon Appetit's "Chefs at Home" magazine, Sept 1997.

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