Equipment
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 3 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
- 150 g cucumber, peeled and seeded
- 350 ml vegetable broth, chilled
- 45 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 garlic, germ removed
- 60 g greek yogurt, full fat
- 10 g cilantro leaves
- 5 g salt
Crab Salad
- 150 g lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 10 g shallot, finely minced
- 5 g chives, finely chopped
- 10 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g lemon zest
- 5 ml lemon juice
- flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 225 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1210 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 1 mg
- Potassium
- 635 mg
- Calcium
- 81 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 36 mg
- Phosphorus
- 188 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 100 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 44 mcg
- Water
- 151 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the garlic by removing the central germ to reduce harshness, and peel the cucumber. Combine avocados, cucumber, chilled vegetable broth, lime juice, garlic, yogurt, cilantro, and salt in a high-speed blender.
Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and vibrant green. Do not over-blend to the point of heating the soup, as heat will dull the color.
Pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any fibrous bits of cilantro or cucumber skin, ensuring a silky mouthfeel.
Cover the soup directly on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent oxidation. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until thoroughly chilled (below 5°C/41°F).
While the soup chills, carefully pick through the crab meat to ensure no shell fragments remain.
In a small bowl, gently combine the crab meat, minced shallot, chives, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season lightly with salt, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab.
Ladle the chilled soup into chilled shallow bowls. Place a neat mound of the crab salad in the center of each bowl. Garnish with flaky sea salt and a few drops of olive oil.
Chef's Notes
- Chill your serving bowls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before plating; this keeps the soup at the optimal temperature longer.
- For an extra smooth texture, you can emulsify 30ml of high-quality olive oil into the soup while blending, though this increases the richness.
- The quality of the crab is paramount here. Look for 'fresh picked' meat rather than pasteurized canned meat if available.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Soup keeps 24 hours if surface is directly covered with plastic wrap to prevent browning. Crab salad best consumed immediately.
Troubleshooting
Soup has turned brown/grey
Cause: Enzymatic browning due to oxidation (exposure to air)
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically; scrape off top layer if underneath is still green, otherwise serve immediately
Prevention: Ensure lime juice is added immediately during blending and cover surface directly with plastic wrap
Soup tastes bland
Cause: Cold temperatures suppress flavor perception
Fix: Stir in an extra pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice before serving
Prevention: Season slightly more aggressively than you would for hot soup
Cultural Context
This dish bridges the gap between a classic Andalusian gazpacho and a New England seafood chowder, utilizing the modern American penchant for avocado as a dairy replacement to create creaminess without heaviness.
