Light, spicy crab soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups *Crab Stock
• 6 ounce can white crab meat
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives or green onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• Heat 4 cups crab stock in a sauce pan. Add one 6 oz. can of white crab meat, 1 small bay leaf and 1 tablespoon minced chives or chopped green onion; simmer until hot. Depending on how spicy you've made your crab stock, you may choose to add a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning, to taste. Makes 2 bowls, or 4 cup-sized servings. OPTIONAL: If using a larger, 16 ounce can of lump crab meat, then heat at least 8 cups of crab stock, and double the chives or green onion.
• CRAB STOCK
  Ingredients:
  2 lbs crab shells (tomalley, optional)
  2 quarts water
  1 medium-large onion, chopped
  2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  1.5 cups chopped tomatoes, or 1 15 oz. can
  2 cloves garlic, crushed
  2 dry Bay leaves
  2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
  4 sprigs fresh thyme
  Kosher or Sea Salt, to taste
• Crab Stock Directions:
  
  1.) Place picked-over crab shells (and tomalley, if using),- excluding heads and top shells, which are flavorless - to 6-8 quart stock pot. Boil. Skim foam from surface and discard.
  
  2.) Add chopped celery, onion, cloves, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns to pot. Cook at a steady simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt, and taste for strong flavor. If necessary, continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
  
  3.) Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, or use double-layer of cheesecloth for a sieve with wider mesh. Chill quickly, until ready to use.
• OLD BAY SEASONING - HOMEMADE
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 tablespoon celery seed
  1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  6 bay leaves
  1/2 teaspoon whole cardamom
  1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
  4 whole cloves
  1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
  
  Add all ingredients to a spice grinder, and buzz. Store in a small sealed jar.
  
  When seasoning crabs for coking, add a 50:50 proportion of coarse salt.
  
  Note: A cleaned coffee grinder may also be used to grind spices

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