She-Crab Soup

Step 1

Pat the lump crab meat dry between two paper towels, pressing gently to remove excess moisture without crushing the lumps.

Step 2

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and pour the crab roe through to separate any shells, gently pressing with the back of a spoon.

Step 3

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it foams and looks glossy, about 90 seconds.

Step 4

Add the diced celery and onion to the melted butter, stir once with a wooden spoon, then cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the vegetables are soft and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes until the mixture looks like wet sand and smells toasted.

Step 6

Pour the chicken stock slowly into the pot while stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming, whisking for about 1 minute until smooth.

Step 7

Pour the milk into the pot while whisking constantly until fully combined, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Step 8

Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup barely bubbles at the edges, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, so the flavors meld.

Step 9

Stir in the Old Bay seasoning and cayenne pepper until the soup is uniformly colored and smells like the seasoning is distributed throughout, about 30 seconds.

Step 10

Add the thyme leaves and stir for 10 seconds until you smell the herb's fresh aroma mixing into the soup.

Step 11

Pour the dry sherry into the soup and stir for 30 seconds until the alcohol smell fades slightly, indicating the sherry has warmed through.

Step 12

Gently fold the lump crab meat into the soup using a rubber spatula, lifting from the bottom and turning the mixture over itself for about 1 minute, until no lumps are submerged at the bottom.

Step 13

Stir the crab roe gently into the soup in one motion with a wooden spoon, distributing it evenly so the soup turns a pale peachy-orange color throughout.

Step 14

Taste a small spoonful of soup and adjust salt and pepper by stirring in 0.25 teaspoon salt at a time and retasting until the flavor is balanced and savory.

Step 15

Ladle the soup into four warmed bowls, filling each about three-quarters full, making sure each bowl gets an even share of crab meat and roe visible at the surface.