Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Whiskey Crab Soup Recipe: A Pacific NW Soup to Die For


So, it all began with our first "FORMAL" date at the Cliff House Restaurant (which has now closed) in Bellingham, WA, almost 25 years ago. It was the beginning of a BEAUTIFUL thing... a love relationship with a steamy, creamy cup of Whiskey Crab Soup. That kind of soup you crave for weeks after you have just a taste of it.

In the almost 25 years that Dave and I have been together, this is the first time I have whipped up a batch of this scrumptious soup. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. Maybe because we can't stop ourselves from gobbling down the crab as fast as we bring it home. However, this crab season we have been blessed with an abundance of fresh Dungeness crab. So much so, that we even had to freeze some (gasp). The frozen crab will be perfect for future batches of this soup.

I didn't add the garnishing options on this recipe but you could use croutons, fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, chives, green onions, a sprinkle of paprika, and drizzle of oil. 

Here is the recipe for easy viewing: 

Whisky Crab Soup

Courtesy of The Cliff House - Bellingham, WA



Ingredients

8 cups water 

1/4 cup fish base (or 4 cubes fish boullion) 

3/4 cup butter 

1 1/4 cup flour 

1 1/2 cup Red Sauce (see ingredients below) 

2 +/- tsp. Old Bay Seasoning 

1 tsp. white pepper 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

2 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce 1 1/4 cup lump crab meat 

2 cups heavy whipping cream 

1 cup whole milk 

1 oz. sherry 

1 oz. whiskey 


Red sauce ingredients 

1/4 cup olive oil 

2 cups shredded carrots 

1 T. minced garlic 

1 T. dried basil 

1 cup chopped red onions 

3  28 oz cans diced tomatoes 



Red Sauce Instructions: (make in advance) 

Cook oil, carrots, garlic and basil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender; 5-10 minutes. 

Add onions and reduce heat to medium. 

Cook until very tender; about 15 minutes. 


Add tomatoes and cook for 20-30 minutes over high heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool. Puree and chill. Note: This makes 4-5 cups of red sauce. Freeze excess in pre-measured Ziplock bags for future batches of soup. 


Soup instructions:

Bring water and fish base to a boil. Meanwhile, make a roux with the flour and butter. To make the roux, start by melting the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan until it foams and bubbles. Add the flour all at once, whisking constantly until the two are combined and a smooth consistency has formed. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes. At this point, the roux will develop a light brown hue and a nutty flavor; this will be used to thicken the soup. 


Add roux to boiling stock. Whisk well over high heat until roux is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes.

 

Add red sauce and stir well. Add next 5 ingredients (Old Bay through Tabasco) and stir well. 

Add crab and cook 5 minutes. 

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, until heated through.


Dish up + gobble. YUM! 



Here is the nutritional break down:

You are going to LOVE this soup!  







9 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh... I have been hunting for a recipe for this ever since I tasted that first cup of goodness at The Cliff House. Thank you!!

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    1. You are so welcome Bee! Hope you love it as much as we do! Let me know how it turned out and if you would switch anything up.

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. I remember this soup and have the recipe floating around someplace. I got if from a former cook there, who was happy to pass it along after they closed. I remember taking a couple dates and my parents there to have this exact soup. Thank you for helping me remeber it.

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  4. Please let me know the olive oil measurements. Your recipe is printed as .5 cups of olive oil. Thank you.

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  5. I am wondering about the "chicken base" and "fish base." not sure what to use here.

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  6. You can purchase soup base on amazon and in select stores, or you can make it by making a very condensed, rich broth.

    What Is Chicken Base?
    Chicken base (a.k.a chicken soup base) is a highly concentrated chicken stock. It has a rich flavor ideal for making soups, stews, gravies, and sauces. It is darker in color and has a thicker consistency than chicken stock. It is commercially available as a cube, powder, or as a paste.

    Chicken base is made by slow-simmering chicken bones and vegetables such as onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Next, strain out the bones and vegetables from the chicken stock and simmer to reduce the remaining liquid by half.

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  7. Hope and I were talking about Whiskey Crab soup. I used to make it but couldn't find the recipe. Googled it and here you are. My fav was reading your blog post about you and your beloved. Love this and love you my friend 💖🙏

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