Blue Crab And Melon Soup With Nori Crème Fraîche Recipes

MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Place melon cubes, lemon juice, white sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree for 1 minute. Then add the mint and yogurt and puree another 1 minute. While pureeing, add the grappa. Transfer the puree to a glass pitcher. Refrigerate. Serve with crostini bread sticks wrapped in prosciutto to enhance the soup's sweet flavors.

BLUE CRAB AND MELON SOUP WITH NORI CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Pour enough water into a large stockpot fitted with a strainer basket to reach bottom of strainer. Bring to a boil, and add crabs. Cover and steam for five minutes. Transfer steamed crabs in strainer to sink to cool.
• Working in batches, purée melon in a food processor until smooth, and reserve (you should have six and a half cups purée).
• When crabs are cool enough to handle, clean them: with kitchen scissors, cut off eyes and mouth, and remove and discard top shells and spongy, pointed gills beneath. From underside of each crab, remove cape of shell that tapers to a point, and discard. With a large sharp chef's knife, chop crabs into small pieces, and reserve.
• In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-low heat, add leeks and salt, and sauté, stirring, until tender but not browned, six minutes. Add chopped crabs, and cook over medium heat about 8 minutes, or until pan is nearly dry and crabs are very fragrant. Pour 1/4 cup chardonnay into pan and continue to cook, stirring, two minutes. Pour melon purée over crabs and leeks, and add seeds. Simmer over medium-low heat for a half-hour, stirring occasionally.
• Place crème fraîche in a small bowl, and set it in a medium bowl filled with ice. Whip with a whisk until thick, about two minutes.
• Tear seaweed paper into pieces about 1-inch-square. Working in batches, process them to a powder in a spice grinder or coffee mill. Fold one tablespoon of powder into thickened crème fraîche.
• Strain soup through a fine mesh strainer. Add remaining chardonnay, lump crab meat and chives. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, and divide evenly among six bowls. Garnish with dollops of nori crème fraîche and serve immediately.

CHILLED SPRING PEA SOUP WITH CRAB SALAD, CREME FRAICHE, AND MINT

Steps:

• For the soup: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. Add the shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, and sliced chiles, and bring back to a boil. Taste the water and season with salt, if needed. Add the English peas, bring the soup back to a boil and allow it to cook until the peas are al dente, about 30 to 45 seconds.
• Using a strainer or spider, add the pea mixture to a blender with 2 ladlefuls of flavored liquid, the creme fraiche and the mint leaves. Puree until smooth. Pour through a wired mesh strainer into a bowl over an ice bath to cool very quickly. Continue to stir until chilled.
• Taste for seasoning.
• For the crab salad: To a large bowl, add the crabmeat, mint leaves, salt and pepper, to taste, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, sliced scallions, lime zest, lime juice, and the chiles. Lightly toss with a fork. Do not overwork. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowl. Top each bowl with a large spoonful of the salad. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with julienned snow peas.
• Pack the chiles into 2 (1-quart) jars and cover them with water to come within 1/2-inch of the rim. Pour the water out into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half the water, and replace it with sherry vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every 3 cups liquid.
• Pour the vinegar mixture into a nonreactive saucepan and add the bay leaves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, marjoram, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Pour the hot liquid into the jars to cover the peppers, and screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• Yield: about 2 quarts

CREAM OF CRAB SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 3-qt. saucepan; stir in flour, seafood seasoning, salt and curry powder. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Gradually add milk; cook and stir until mixture is hot (do not boil). , Remove cartilage from crab if necessary. Add crab and parsley to soup; cook and stir just until crab is heated. If desired, thin soup with additional milk; garnish with parsley.