Corn-and-Crabmeat Soup

Contributed by Quick From Scratch Soups & Salads

ACTIVE:
TOTAL TIME:
SERVINGS: 4

FAST

The combination of sweet summer corn and delicate crabmeat is hard to beat. If you're feeling flush, you can use more crab, up to double the quantity. Serve the soup with something simple, such as grilled bread, topped with thin-sliced prosciutto if ...

1 quart fresh corn kernels (cut from about 8 ears)
1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shell
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives or scallion tops

In a blender or food processor, combine the corn kernels and 2 cups of the broth. Pulse to a coarse puree.
In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the corn puree, the wine, the remaining 2 cups of broth, and the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the milk and bring just to a simmer. Stir in the crabmeat and chives.

Notes

Variations

• Puree four cups (two ten-ounce packages) of defrosted frozen corn kernels with the milk (not the broth). Since frozen corn is already cooked, stir the puree into the soup when the milk is added in Step 3, bring just to a simmer, and then stir in the crabmeat and chives.

• Substitute half a pound of medium peeled shrimp for the crabmeat. Stir the shrimp in along with the milk and cook for three to five minutes.

Suggested Pairing

The complex flavors of crab blend beautifully with those of Chardonnay. White Burgundies, made from Chardonnay, have a more mineral taste and are less fruity than their American counterparts. Choose a Mâcon-Villages or Saint-Véran for a great match here.