Crab is a favorite shellfish of the Portuguese, and one of the most famous dishes is santola no carro–a creamy crab salad served in its shell. This gazpacho recipe, from my friend and chef Fausto Airoldi, takes all those flavors and plunks them in the middle of this lesser-known but utterly refreshing soup.
Read Related: Crab Soup with Artichoke Fritters
PORTUGUESE WHITE GAZPACHO WITH CRAB
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the White Gazpacho:
1½ cups ¾-inch cubes of day-old rustic white bread, crust removed
2/3 cups (3oz) unsalted blanched whole almonds
1 small fennel bulb (about 6oz), stalks and core removed, bulb chopped; reserve a few of the frilly fronds for garnish
½ cup chopped sweet onion
½ seedless English cucumber, peeled and chopped
Leaves from 4 fresh oregano sprigs
¼ cup plus 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
3 TBSP white wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Crab Salad:
1½ cups jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over and drained well
½ small carrot, peeled and minced
½ stalk celery, minced
1 TBSP brandy or tawny Port
1TSP Piri-Piri Sauce or store-bought hot sauce, or to taste
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups tender baby salad greens (optional)
Instructions
- To make the white gazpacho, soak the bread cubes in cold water until softened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze dry with your hands.
- Toss the almonds into a blender and pulse into a fine powder. Drop in the fennel, onion, cucumber, oregano, and 1½ cups water and buzz on high until liquefied. Add the wet bread, oil, and vinegar and whir again until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Put the blender canister, covered, in the fridge for 3 hours, or up to 6 hours.
- Meanwhile, toss together the crab, carrot, celery, brandy, and piri-piri sauce in a small bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, fold the mayonnaise into the crab mixture and season with salt and pepper. If you want it a bit creamier, plop in another tablespoon or so of the mayonnaise.
- Whir the gazpacho in the blender for a few seconds to froth it again. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour it into a pitcher. Make a small bed of greens in the center of chilled bowls, top with the crab, and poke in a bit of fennel frond. Place the bowls in front of your guests and pour the gazpacho around the crab.
