One of my favorite soups has always been Maryland Crab Soup. Back in our time in New Jersey, a charming spot near the Jersey Shore, The Crab Trap, whipped up the most divine rendition - that recipe should have won awards! I've missed Maryland Crab Soup ever since we left Florida for New Jersey. Yet, in a stroke of culinary genius, my husband decided to take matters into his own hands, drawing inspiration from a recipe shared on Sally's Baking Addiction. After a delightful journey of trial and taste-testing, John's homemade Maryland Crab Soup emerged, brimming with flavor and nostalgia. So, without further ado, let me share with you his delightful rendition!
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Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced or diced celery
2 tablespoons of Spice World Minced Garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, minced)
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning (see recipe Note)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 fifteen ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables (we like Publix brand)
1 fifteen ounce bag of frozen sweet white kernel corn (we like Publix brand)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (28-ounce) can Contadina Crushed Tomatoes
4 cups Progresso Beef Broth
2.5 cups water
2.5 cups peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes
3 bay leaves
1 pound crab meat (we use two 8 ounce containers Publix Lump Swimming Crab Meat)
Optional before serving each bowl: add in 3 tablespoons of Sherry and add Zatarain's Creole Seasoning to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add in the onion and celery. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic, Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard. Stir and cook 1 minute.
Add in all of the remaining ingredients except for the crab meat, the Sherry, and the Zatarain's Creole Seasoning. Bring this to a boil, cook and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in the crab meat and simmer for 3-4 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
When serving each bowl, add about 3 tablespoons of Sherry & Zatarain's Creole Seasoning to taste. Stir before eating. Enjoy!
You can keep the leftovers in a large covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week (according to the original recipe - I have not tried that yet as we just made the soup). If it becomes too thick, add in more broth. The soup will thicken in the refrigerator when the vegetables and crab meat soak up the liquid. To reheat, either place in bowls and microwave them for 3-4 minutes or place what you'll eat into a pot and reheat it over medium heat until it is warm enough.
If you're looking for a really nice set of soup spoons, check out these from Amazon. They're designed for wonton soup and other Asian creations, but they work great for eating any soup or stew. I also have a plastic set of soup spoons that are similar. Corelle Vitrelle makes a nice set of four 18-ounce soup / cereal bowls that I'm happy with - I love that they're chip & crack resistant, which is just what I need! If you prefer a deeper, larger bowl, they also have a set of six 28-ounce soup / cereal bowls in the same product line.
Many of my articles to date have dealt specifically with Lake County, Florida, but I'm expanding and covering recipes I enjoy (crockpot, Instant Pot, air fryer, grill, stovetop, and oven). If you're interested in following along, here's what you need to do - download the Newsbreak app, create a User Account, and follow me at Lake County Florida - Here's What's Happening! If you enjoyed this post and you think others may enjoy it as well, please share it with them. Thanks!
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