Velvet Corn Soup with Crabmeat Recipe

Pick over and remove any shells or cartilage from crabmeat, retaining any juices. Break up lumps. (A 3-ounce can or half a 6-ounce package of frozen crabmeat will yield about 1/3 cup.) Set aside.

Remove husks and silk from fresh corn. Run a knife once vertically down the cob through each row of kernels. Then scrape enough pulp and juices into a bowl to make 1/3 cup. Cut the remainder off with the hulls to make the required 2/3 cup. (You will need 2 to 4 ears of corn.) An 8-ounce can will yield the same amount. Although not as fresh tasting, it is typically used in restaurants.

Stir egg whites and salt briskly with a fork to liquefy. Stir in milk and set aside.

Combine soup base ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan. Have dissolved cornstarch at hand. Bring the soup base to a boil. Stir in the scraped fresh corn or canned corn; reduce heat to simmer and cook 1 minute.

Add the crabmeat and juices; bring to a boil again over high heat.

Stir in dissolved cornstarch, stirring until the soup is thickened.

Add the egg white mixture, stirring gently to combine and remove from heat immediately. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.

Ladle into individual bowls; serve hot. Yield: 6 servings