Carrots, crabmeat come together for elegant soup

This elegant Carrot Soup With Crab can be prepared ahead of time, then reheated and topped with the crabmeat just before serving. Lobster meat or even chopped cooked shrimp would be a fine substitute.

CARROT SOUP WITH CRAB

Start to finish: 50 minutes (25 minutes active)

Servings: 4

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 pound carrots, sliced

1 large or 2 small bay leaves

2 tablespoons white rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 cups water

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

6 ounces crabmeat (such as Dungeness)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced chives, plus more for garnish

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, bay leaves, white rice, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions and light golden, about 6 minutes.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the lemon zest. Keep the burner on the lowest setting to warm the soup.

In a small bowl, toss the crabmeat, lemon juice and chives. Divide the crab mixture between 4 serving bowls, mounding it in the center. Ladle soup around the crab, then garnish with additional minced chives. Recipe from the January 2008 issue of Sunset magazine