Crab Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of crab cooked in white stock thickened with rice that's finished with cream. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Crab Soup.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Crab Soup that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 170.—CRAB SOUP.
Boil half a pound of rice in a quart of white stock, water, or milk, with a little nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and an ounce of butter; and, while the rice is being very slowly simmered, break up a fresh-boiled crab, separating carefully all the white meat from the claws, &c., which must be kept in reserve; pound all the yellow pith from the body-shell with the boiled rice, and having mixed the whole with a quart of hot stock, rub it through a tammy; pour it into a soup-pot, add the white meat from the claws, season with a small pinch of cayenne, and a little anchovy, and a pint of cream; stir over the fire until quite hot, without allowing it to boil, and serve.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
225g rice, washed
1l white stock (or use milk)
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
30g butter
1 freshly-boiled crab
1l stock, hot
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp anchovy essence
300ml cream
Method:
Combine the rice and white stock (or milk in a pan). Season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper then add the butter, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently until the rice is soft (about 25 minutes).
In the meantime, crack the claws and remove the lower shell of the crab. Carefully remove the white meat, cut into dice and set aside. Take out the brown meat and pith from the crab and place in a mortar. When the rice is done, drain in a colander, add to the mortar and pound with the crab meat.
Combine this mixture in a pan with the hot stock, bring to a simmer then take off the heat and rub through a fine-meshed sieve. Pour the liquid into a clean pan, add the white meat from the crab, season with the cayenne pepper an anchovy essence then stir in the cream. Allow to heat through (but do not boil) and serve hot.
