Portuguese White Gazpacho With Crab |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Crab is a favorite shellfish of the Portuguese, and one of the most famous dishes is santola no carro–a creamy crab salad served in its shell. This gazpacho recipe, from my friend and chef Fausto Airoldi, takes all those flavors and plunks them in the middle of this lesser-known but utterly refreshing soup .–David Leite. Time does not include chilling. From: Leite's Culinaria (Personally I would serve the salad separately and just add some of the crab to the soup as a garnish.) Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups day-old rustic white bread, 3/4-inch cubes crust removed |
2/3 cup unsalted blanched whole almond |
1 small fennel bulb, stalks and core removed, bulb chopped, reserve a few of the frilly fronds for garnish (about 6 ounces) |
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion |
1/2 seedless english cucumber, peeled and chopped |
oregano, leaves from 4 fresh sprigs |
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar |
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper |
1 1/2 cups lump crabmeat, picked over and drained well |
1/2 small carrot, peeled and minced |
1/2 stalk celery, minced |
1 tablespoon brandy or 1 tablespoon tawny port |
1 teaspoon piri-piri, sauce (to taste) or 1 teaspoon store-bought hot sauce (to taste) |
1/3 cup plain mayonnaise (or more if needed) |
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper |
2 cups tender baby greens (optional) |
Directions:
1. To make the white gazpacho, soak the bread cubes in cold water until softened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze dry with your hands.
2. Toss the almonds into a blender and pulse into a fine powder. Drop in the fennel, onion, cucumber, oregano, and 1 1/2 cups water and buzz on high until liquefied. Add the wet bread, oil, and vinegar and whir again until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Put the blender canister, covered, in the fridge for 3 hours, or up to 6 hours.
3. Meanwhile, toss together the crab, carrot, celery, brandy, and piri-piri sauce in a small bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, fold the mayonnaise into the crab mixture and season with salt and pepper. If you want it a bit creamier, plop in another tablespoon or so of the mayonnaise.
5. Whir the gazpacho in the blender for a few seconds to froth it again. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour it into a pitcher. Make a small bed of greens in the center of chilled bowls, top with the crab, and poke in a bit of fennel frond. Place the bowls in front of your guests and pour the gazpacho around the crab.
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