Authentic Maryland (MD) Crab Soup

Heat a heavy-bottomed 6-quart stock pot over medium heat, then add 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter. Once butter is fully melted and foaming subsides (about 1 minute), add 150g diced sweet yellow onion and 100g diced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are soft and translucent with no golden browning.

Stir 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning into the softened onion and celery, toasting the spice for 30 seconds over medium heat until fragrant. Pour in 400g crushed canned tomatoes and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, stir to fully combine, and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking for 4 minutes to deepen the tomato flavor.

Pour 1200ml crab stock into the pot, stirring to combine all ingredients. Add 200g diced Yukon gold potatoes, turn heat up to medium-high to bring the soup to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.

Uncover the pot, add 80g cut green beans and 120g fresh corn kernels, stirring to incorporate the vegetables into the broth. Continue simmering uncovered over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until green beans are crisp-tender and bright green, with no raw starchy aftertaste.

Gently fold 450g picked jumbo lump blue crab meat into the soup, taking great care not to break up the large, delicate crab lumps. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, just until the crab is heated through—do not boil, as high heat will make crab meat tough and rubbery.

Turn off the stovetop heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of the chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, then cover the pot and let the soup rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Ladle into pre-warmed soup bowls, garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and a light pinch of Old Bay if desired, and serve immediately.