Soup on Sunday: Charleston She-Crab

I love exploring local culture through food when I travel. Not only does it delight the senses, but also it allows you to connect with the region in a more visceral manner.

One of my favorite American cities is Charleston, South Carolina. The lowcoutry lifestyle, coupled with amazing architecture, beautiful churches and delicious food, places the city right at the top of my book.

The local dish that won me over was She Crab Soup. A cross between bisque and chowder (made with their famous blue crab meat), this soup is considered the city’s signature dish. Most local restaurants offer their own version, and in many restaurants, the soup du jour is often She Crab Soup. Named for the “She-Crab”, or female crab, the orange crab roe is a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup—don’t skip it given the option.

She-Crab Soup
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
10 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons flour
6 cups fish stock
pinch of mace
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
10 oz. crabmeat
1 teaspoon crab roe
flat leaf parsley
additional crab roe for garnish

Sauté onion and celery in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour. Add fish stock, mace, salt and pepper. Work out any lumps from the flour. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add cream, sherry, brandy and simmer for 2 minutes. Add crabmeat and roe. Serve with parsley and an additional sprinkle of crab roe on top.