Cucumber Crab Soup

Serves 4: Allow 2-4 hours chilling time

• 1 med. sweet onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 5 large or 6 med. cucumbers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup Parmesan brodo (prepare by heating Parmesan rind in vegetable or chicken stock and straining )
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mint leaves
• Cayenne, pinch
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Sherry vinegar, a teaspoon or so to taste at the end
• Lemon juice, to taste at the end
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, pinch

Quick pickled onions

• 3 T purple onion, thin slice
• 4 T Red wine vinegar
• Sugar, pinch

Topping/ garnish

• 4 T cucumber skinned, seeded and diced
• Extra virgin olive oil, drizzle
• Red chili flake, pinch
• Sugar, small pinch
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 lb. Lump crab meat (Jonah crab or peekytoe crab would be good too)

Start pickling onions while preparing soup

Heat a med. pan over med. heat; add a splash of olive oil. When oil is hot add the onions until they soften, add garlic then cucumbers and toss for about 1 min. (you want color of cucumbers to brighten without them becoming to soft)

Add stock, remove from heat and add buttermilk, mint, cayenne, lemon zest then purée in food processor

Pass through chinois or sieve pressing out solids (or you can leave it a bit chunky if you prefer)

Adjust seasoning with sherry vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper

Chill for 2-4 hours

Remove pickling onions from vinegar and finely chop

In a mixing bowl combine the pickled onions with the crabmeat and rest of topping/ garnish ingredients

Portion chilled soup in bowls and top with equal portions of crab mixture