Carrot Soup with Crab Meat

This elegant carrot soup could be prepared ahead of time, then reheated with the crab meat prepared just before serving. The crab meat will be soft and flaky but if you prefer more substance in the meat you may substitute lobster or chopped cooked shrimp instead of the crab.

Ingredients

• fresh lemon juice  ·  1 tablespoon 
• shelled, cooked Dungeness crab  ·  6 ounces 
• lemon zest  ·  ½ teaspoon 
• freshly ground pepper  ·  ½ teaspoon 
• salt  ·  1 teaspoon 
• white rice  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Herbie's Bay Leaf  ·  1 whole 
• sliced carrots  ·  1 pound 
• medium chopped onion  ·  1 whole 
• butter  ·  2½ tablespoons 
• minced chives  ·  1 tablespoon 

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add chopped onion, sliced carrots, bay leaf, rice, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until onions are light golden, about 6 minutes.

Add 5 cups water and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf.

Working in batches, puree soup stock in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot, stir in lemon zest, and keep warm.

In a small bowl, toss shelled crab with lemon juice and minced chives.

Put an equal mound of crab mixture in the center of individual soup bowls, and then carefully ladle the soup around the crab mounds.

Garnish with additional chopped chives and serve with a chilled Williamson Wines Chardonnay.