This soup strikes an interesting balance between the richness of the cream and crab and the brininess of the oysters. The combination of flavors yields an elegant soup that happily rings in the New Year complete with a glass of full-bodied quality champagne.
Serves 4-6
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 1/2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
20 shucked oysters, with their juice
1/4 teaspoon salt 4 ounces cleaned crab meat, picked clean of any shells
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, chervil, or combination of both 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 dashes of Tabasco
1. In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the celery and onion. Sauté until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks for 2 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown.
3. Over medium high heat add the milk and cream, whisking vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil while stirring with the whisk. Lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes more.
4. On low heat stir in oysters, salt, crab, parsley, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Maintaining a bare simmer, cook the oysters for only 2-3 minutes. (The oysters only need to heat through. Overcooking the oysters will cause them to toughen.)
5. Remove from heat and serve.
Crab Cakes with Citrus Mustard Sauce
The secret to this recipe is to let the flavors of the crab shine through. There's just enough breadcrumbs added to give structure to the cakes without overwhelming the crab. You can assemble the crab cakes and sauce earlier in the day and sauté just before you're ready to serve.
SERVES: 8
Crab Cakes
1 1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
dash of Tabasco sauce
Citrus Mustard Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 cup fresh squeezed tangerine or orange juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
panko crumbs to coat cake cakes
unsalted butter for sautéing crab cakes
1. Gently fold together all the ingredients for the crab cakes.
2. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Form each into a disk shape about 1" thick.
3. Place panko crumbs into a swallow dish. Gently coat each crab cake in panko crumbs.
4. Melt butter in a large non-stick sauté pan. Sauté over medium heat until the cakes are golden brown on both sides and heated through.
5. Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the citrus mustard sauce. Place in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.
