Crab is so succulent and sweet that you almost can’t go wrong with any recipe. Cheese complements crab especially well.My friend, Ellen, makes appetizers with these two ingredients, and I devour them every time. That’s what inspired this soup. Ellen’s husband, Peter, also known as Mr. Fish, catches fresh crabs right off of his boat in Green Harbor on Boston’s South Shore. Their fresh, briny flavor makes them a real treat. Extending the appetizer theme, this soup goes well with homemade cheddar biscuits.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
8 cups lobster stock
1 cup sherry
1 pound crabmeat
8 slices (1/2 pound) Havarti cheese
3 teaspoons dry mustard
2 cups heavy cream
6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a stockpot over mediumhigh heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stock, and sherry. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the crabmeat, cheese, and the mustard. Let the cheese melt into the soup. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Return to the stove. Add the cream, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, dill, salt, and pepper and stir thoroughly.

Makes 10 to 12 servings. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a friend who supplies you with just-caught seafood, use fresh or frozen crab in this recipe. Avoid the canned variety, as its quality doesn’t tend to be high enough for this soup.