Ingredients:
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped
- 8 oz lump crab meat, picked for shells
- 8 oz cooked lobster tail meat, cut into 1-inch medallions
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion, finely minced
- 2 stalks celery, finely minced
- 2 carrots, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood stock
- 0.5 cup dry sherry
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 0.5 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped
- salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for about 8 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns a dark, rich mahogany color. Note: This step is crucial for developing a deep, roasted flavor base.
- Pour in the 0.5 cup of dry sherry. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot until all the brown bits are incorporated. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
- Whisk in the 3 tablespoons of flour and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it smells slightly nutty. This is your roux.
- Slowly whisk in the 4 cups of seafood stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has thickened enough to coat a spoon.
- Use your immersion blender to process the soup until completely smooth. For an extra-fine texture, pass the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Old Bay, and smoked paprika. Bring back to a bare simmer.
- Add the chopped shrimp, crab meat, and lobster medallions. Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat to poach the seafood for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp is opaque and the meat is heated through.
- Season with salt and white pepper. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.