Crab and Tomato Soup

Crab soups vary from the heavy, cream-laden bisques of French classical cookery to the clear, light Japanese broths with their cargo of pure white snow crab. The soup that follows lies somewhere between the two. There is substance, but also lightness. In high summer, this thick puree of tomatoes and peppers with its crown of white crab meat can be served as a salad. On other occasions, file under first course.

Serves 4
garlic 1 small clove
cherry tomatoes 300g
cucumber 1
romano peppers 2
bird’s-eye chilli 1
sherry vinegar 2 tbsp
white crab meat 300g
mustard and cress or watercress to finish

Peel the garlic and place in the jug of an electric blender or food processor. Tip in the cherry tomatoes. Peel the cucumber, then halve and cut one half into two or three pieces and add to the tomatoes and garlic. Finely dice the second half of the cucumber and set aside.

Roughly chop the romano peppers and add to the vegetables in the blender. Process the vegetables until you have a brilliant red puree, then season with the sherry vinegar and a little salt and black pepper. Fold the reserved diced cucumber into the white crab meat, taking care not to crush the flakes of crab.

Pour the soup into four bowls. Spoon the crab on top of the soup, add a pinch of mustard and cress and serve.

From here.