White Crab Stock

Ingredients

• 2 quarts cold water
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 1 garlic bulb, halved
• 1 turnip, split
• 2 celery stalks, split
• Bouquet garni (4 sprigs fresh parsley, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and 1 leek -- tied together with string)
• 1/2 lemon, juice
• 1 teaspoon crab boil seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Sea salt, to taste
• 6 live Atlantic Blue crabs

Directions

Pour water in a large stockpot and place over low-medium flame. Add the vegetables and bouquet garni; cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to become tender. Add the lemon juice, crab boil seasoning, peppercorns, wine and salt. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring to mingle flavors. Carefully put the crabs in the pot and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. The crab shells will be bright orange when done. Remove and shell the crabs. Strain the stock to discard the vegetable solids. Reserve the crab meat and stock for She-Crab soup.