Cream of Crab Soup

from Karen Mitchell 

submitted by Kathy Lindenbaum 

preparation time: 20 minutes 
serves 6  
 
Béchamel Sauce 
3 tablespoons butter 
3 ½ tablespoons flour (a bit more if you want it thicker) 
2 cups milk 
½ teaspoon salt 
¼ teaspoon white pepper 
 
Soup 
2 stalks green onion finely chopped 
3 cups half and half 
2 cups Bechamel Sauce 
1 10-ounce can tomato soup 
¾ cup clam juice 
⅛ teaspoon white pepper 
3 drops Siracha sauce 
1 teaspoon of Old Bay spice 
1 pound crab meat 
 

 
Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in top of double boiler over boiling water. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook for a minute or so. Gradually add milk stirring constantly and continue cooking until sauce is smooth and thick. Add salt and pepper and strain through fine sieve. 
 
Soup: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add butter and green onion, sauté until soft. Add next four ingredients in same saucepan and combine over low heat until well heated. Stir in all remaining spices and Siracha until blended and then add crab meat. Stir until heated and serve with small glass of sherry per person. 
 
Can be made up to two days ahead.