She-crab soup
Encyclopedia
She-crab soup is a rich soup
, similar to bisque
, made of milk
or heavy cream
, crab or fish stock
, Atlantic blue crab meat, and (traditionally) crab roe
, and a small amount of dry sherry
added as it is plated. It may be thickened either by heat reduction or with a purée
of boiled rice
; it may also include such seasonings as mace and shallots or onions. The soup is a regional specialty from the South Carolina Lowcountry
and Georgia coast. It is commonly featured on the menus of many Charleston, South Carolina
and Savannah, Georgia
restaurants.
The soup is named for the "She-Crab", or female crab, originally a gravid crab, as the orange crab roe comprise a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup. As with turtle soup
, other ingredients may be added to the soup or substituted for others, although crabmeat is found in all versions.
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
, similar to bisque
Bisque (food)
Bisque is a smooth, creamy, highly-seasoned soup of French origin, classically based on a strained broth of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish...
, made of milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
or heavy cream
Heavy Cream
Heavy Cream is a compilation album of music recorded by Cream during 1966-68.Although available in other territories as well, the album was largely released to address the North American market, in order for Polydor Records to leverage Cream's back catalog; prior to 1972, Polydor had licensed...
, crab or fish stock
Stock (food)
Stock is a flavoured water preparation. It forms the basis of many dishes, particularly soups and sauces.- Preparation :Stock is made by simmering various ingredients in water, including some or all of the following...
, Atlantic blue crab meat, and (traditionally) crab roe
Roe
Roe or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses of fish and certain marine animals, such as shrimp, scallop and sea urchins...
, and a small amount of dry sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
added as it is plated. It may be thickened either by heat reduction or with a purée
Purée
Purée and mash are general terms for cooked food, usually vegetables or legumes, that have been ground, pressed, blended, and/or sieved to the consistency of a soft creamy paste or thick liquid. Purées of specific foods are often known by specific names, e.g., mashed potatoes or apple sauce...
of boiled rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
; it may also include such seasonings as mace and shallots or onions. The soup is a regional specialty from the South Carolina Lowcountry
South Carolina Lowcountry
The Lowcountry is a geographic and cultural region located along South Carolina's coast. The region includes the South Carolina Sea Islands...
and Georgia coast. It is commonly featured on the menus of many Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
restaurants.
The soup is named for the "She-Crab", or female crab, originally a gravid crab, as the orange crab roe comprise a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup. As with turtle soup
Turtle soup
Turtle soup is soup or stews made from the flesh of the turtle. The dish exists in many cultures and is viewed as a luxury or delicacy.The green turtle was commonly used for turtle soup in the United States and United Kingdom. Soup made from the snapping turtle was found mainly in the United States...
, other ingredients may be added to the soup or substituted for others, although crabmeat is found in all versions.