Cold Curried Crab Soup
August 3rd, 2009 | Published in Seafood Recipes, Soup and Stew Recipes
This cold curried soup is an unusual way to use our wonderful local Dungeness crab. And it has lot more going for it, too. Cold soup is ideal for summer entertaining, curry is great for parties because it’s flavor improves with long, slow cooking done ahead, and its brilliant colors and exotic flavors feel festive. Serve this filling soup for lunch or start with a cold Asian noodle salad and you’ve got a knock-out, easy company supper.
I love the way this looks served in coconut shells. I bought these at a Hawaiian souvenir store, believe it or not. For next to nothing. I also use these bowls for a Trader Vic-style tropical cocktail for 2 with long straws and a hibiscus.
photo Manny Rodriguez
Cold Curried Crab Soup Recipe
You’ll enjoy this curry with spicy tea or a spicy dry white wine like like Gewürztraminer or Viognier.
Makes 8 to 10 servings (about 2 quarts)
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
- 3 red Thai chiles (seeded and chopped) or 2 serrano peppers (seeded and chopped)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 1/2 cups minced onion (about 2 small)
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 1/2 cup minced, canned Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime (or lemon) juice
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked Dungeness crabmeat
GARNISH
- Shredded unsweetened coconut
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped fresh scallions
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Combine the garlic, ginger, chiles, and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender and purée.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 14-inch sauté pan or Dutch oven. When hot, add the cinnamon and bay leaves and sauté for 5 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger mixture and sauté until aromatic and the water has evaporated. (This is where you really develop the flavor!)
- Add the curry powder plus 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of water and stir. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, remaining water, coconut milk, chicken stock, clam juice, and salt. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and cool.
- When cool, purée the mixture in batches until very smooth. Chill. (The soup can be prepared the day before and refrigerated until ready to serve.)
TO SERVE
- Ladle the chilled soup into individual bowls and top each bowl with a sprinkling of 3 ounces of crab (about 1/2 cup). Offer the condiments on the side.
