Intensely rich and full, there are few foods more soul-satisfying on a rainy winter day.

3 cooked Dungeness crabs, 1 1/2 lbs each
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup leeks (white and light-green parts only), sliced into rounds
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups white wine
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1. Cut the cooked crabs into quarters. Pick meat out and reserve in the refrigerator. Break up the shells.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until brown. Add leeks and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove leeks and smoked bacon and reserve.

3. Raise the heat to high, add the crab shells and cook, stirring occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes. Add onion, carrots, thyme, cumin, coriander, cayenne and black pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour the white wine into the pot and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour in 8 cups of water, lower the heat and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Strain in a colander, pressing the solids to extract the maximum amount of liquid. Season to taste with salt.

4. Return the chowder base to the pot and add the potatoes, leeks and bacon. Add cream and simmer gently until the potatoes are cooked, about 15 minutes. Add crab meat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Makes 8 servings

Adapted from Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place
Courtesy of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission

Photo by Leah Harb