Maryland Crab Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 2 large celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, cored, deveined and seeded, chopped
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 lb beef bone (or veal knuckle bones)
• 3 large new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 cup diagonally cut green beans, about 1/2 inch long
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth (preferably homemade)
• 3 cups water
• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 1 (1 lb) can whole tomato, pureed with juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb lump crabmeat
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe

• 1 melt butter in heavy large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat.
• 2 add onions, celery, carrot and bell pepper and stir until lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• 3 add bay leaf, thyme, ground red pepper and pepper and stir 2 to 3 minutes.
• 4 add bones,potatoes and beans and cook, stirring constantly 2 to 3 minutes.
• 5 blend in broth and 2 cups water.
• 6 reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour.
• 7 add barley and remaining cup water to soup; cover and simmer 2 hours.
• 8 discard bones; stir in tomato puree and salt.
• 9 let soup come to room temperature.
• 10 cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours; degrease if necessary.
• 11 discard bay leaf; stir crab and parsley into soup.
• 12 place over low heat and warm slowly, stirring as little as possible to keep crab in large pieces.do not boil or crab will be tough.
• 13 season to taste with salt and red pepper.
• 14 ladle into soup bowls and serve.