Avocado Crab Stack with a 

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

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I love making this for various reasons. The hot soup to cold crab stack contrast is amazing and the plate looks so good. And it's easy! As always read the whole recipe first. I like to break things down in my mind, recipes are no exception. It just works better for me. And when you do this you can see just how easy this elegant dish is to make! 

Avocado Crab Stack with a Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

8 - 10 ounces of Lump Crab meat (Fully Cooked) - picked through for shells
1 Small head of Romaine Lettuce - Shredded 
1 1/2 Avocados - mashed with a fork
1 Serrano Pepper - minced
1 Apple - Diced. (use an apple that you like)
1 Tbls of "The Sauce"
1 Lime

6 Lg tomatoes - Cut in half

2 Lg Red Peppers - Cut in half

2 Lg Shallots - rough cut

10 - 12 Basil leaves - Tear by hand

1 Bay leaf

1 Whole sprig of Thyme

3 1/2 Cups Tomato Juice

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Olive oil

5 Tbls Mayo (We use Helmans, Homemade rocks of course)
1/2 Tsp Sriracha - or to taste
Squeeze of Lime to taste

Salt and Pepper

We use this product if we can not get or afford fresh Crab.

The Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Start with the soup first, this will give the flavors more time to develop.

Your palate will thank you.

6 Lg tomatoes - Cut in half

2 Lg Red Peppers - Cut in half

2 Lg Shallots - rough cut

10 - 12 Basil leaves - Tear by hand

1 Bay leaf

1 Whole sprig of Thyme

3 1/2 Cups Tomato Juice

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Cut the Red Peppers in half, clean out the seeds and white veins and place cut side down on the same baking sheet.

Drizzle with Olive Oil, broil at 500 degrees for 15 minutes or just until the peppers begin to blacken (See cool Picture above) .

In a deep pot add 1 Tbls olive oil over medium heat. Once hot add the shallots, thyme sprig and bay leaf, saute' until the onions are translucent. Now add the roasted peppers and tomatoes! Right about now your house smells real good! Continue to saute' for about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomato juice, stir and simmer for ten minutes. This would be a great time to taste and season.

Remove from the heat and transfer soup to a blender. Do this in batches, your kitchen will thank you! Blend until very creamy and then strain through a fine mess sieve. Return the soup to the pot and slowly add the heavy cream to taste. Re-season as you go! From here you could place the soup on a very low heat eye or you could let it cool and then refrigerate the soup. I love serving cold soup to guests, the flavors are so different, just remember to season more aggressively as cold food requires more seasoning. Oh, try to resist the urge to make a grilled cheese right now!

The Sauce

5 Tbls Mayo (We use Helmans, Homemade rocks of course)

1/2 Tsp Sriracha - or to taste

Squeeze of Lime to taste

Combine the first two ingredients and whisk. slowly add lime to taste.

Avocado Crab Stack

8 - 10 ounces of Lump Crab meat (Fully Cooked) - picked through for shells

1 Small head of Romaine Lettuce - Shredded 

1 1/2 Avocados - mashed with a fork

1 Serrano Pepper - minced

1 Apple - Diced. (use an apple that you like)

1 Tbls of "The Sauce"

1 Lime

Salt / Pepper

In a non-reactive bowl mix the diced apple, minced serrano pepper, 1 Tbls of "The Sauce" and the crab meat. Add a squeeze of the lime to keep the apples from browning. Only add enough romaine to add color to the mixture. Add just a pinch of salt. Gently fold the crab mix together. The sauce should only act as a binder holding the mixture together. Taste to determine if you would like to add salt or pepper.

Mash the Avocado's and hit them with a light squeeze of lime as well.

In a large bowl (no offense @Cat Cora) place a ring mold, old soup can or anything you think you can make a stack in! Start by adding the avocado first then add some of the crab mix. 

Cooking Note: 

Use the back of a teaspoon to apply pressure to both the Avocados and the Crab mix as they are added. This will pack the ring mold tighter and provide a better presentation for your guests!

Remove the ring mold gently, apply light pressure to the crab with your spoon as you slide the ring up. Ladle your hot or cold soup around the stack! Top the stack with "The Sauce".

Cooking Note: Drizzle Olive Oil or White Truffle Oil around the soup, take a picture and share with friends!

Enjoy