Crab and Brie Soup

One pint jumbo lump crabmeat
One pint lump crabmeat
One large onion chopped
Two stalks celery chopped
Two cloves garlic chopped
Thyme, Salt and Pepper
Butter, a stick or so
Half cup flour or so
Cup white wine
three cups chicken stock
three cups heavy cream
Pound of Brie with rind cut off
Pinch of cayenne

Make a blonde roux with the butter and flour then add vegetables and saute until soft adding a bit more butter

Add wine and blend well, add chicken stock, blend well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let cook for a few minutes. Lower heat to low simmer and add cream and seasonings. Let the cream get warm then add brie cut into small pieces. The smaller they are the quicker they will melt but they take a bit to melt. You can adjust heat back up just a bit then reduce again. Let this blend well.

When cheese has melted (mostly-it wont completely) use immersion blender to cream or put in batches in blender (if using blender only fill half way or you will be cleaning this off the ceiling)

At this point you can strain if you like or not. Fold in the lump crabmeat easily and let simmer a few minutes to allow the crab flavor to infuse the soup.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with a bit of the jumbo lump crabmeat and garnish with chopped green onions or chives.

If you want put more crabmeat in it. You can use backfin which is white and less expensive, to put in it. The jumbo at the end is perfect though.

If too thick you can thin with a bit of chicken stock or you can use seafood stock in lieu of chicken stock but since chicken stock is readily available that is a good substitute. It should be pretty thick though.

Slice of toasted "steam injected" French bread with softened butter and you are good to go.

This post was edited on 12/9/11 at 7:46 am