The green gazpacho tastes so fresh and the flavours are so balanced, with each just showing enough of themselves when you give it a taste,” says chef Nathan Outlaw.
“As it is served chilled, it is also great for a party and actually benefits from being made well in advance so that the flavours have time to mingle.”
Green gazpacho with crab and walnuts
Serves: 4
Alternative fish: poached lobster, raw scallops (or cooked if you want) or smoked mackerel.
Ingredients:
200g (7oz) picked white crabmeat
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the green gazpacho:
1 celery stick, sliced
1 small green pepper, deseeded and chopped
150g cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 courgette, sliced
100g stale white bread, crusts removed
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 tsp sugar
50g walnut halves, lightly toasted
100g baby spinach, picked
30g tarragon
10g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp cider vinegar
100ml olive oil
60g full-fat Greek yoghurt
200ml water
150g ice cubes
2tsp sea salt
White pepper, to taste
To garnish:
4 pickled walnuts, chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1 green apple, peeled and finely diced
1 small green pepper, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 tbsp olive oil
Method:
1. For best results, mix together all the ingredients for the gazpacho the day before and leave them to mingle and get to know one another in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
2. The next day, place all the gazpacho ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for two minutes until smooth. Place a sieve over a bowl and pass the gazpacho through it, using the back of a ladle or large spoon to squeeze as much through the sieve as possible. Chill the gazpacho and discard any debris in the sieve.
3. To prepare the crabmeat, pick through your crab, checking for any shell or cartilage to discard. Place the white crabmeat in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate.
4. Mix all the garnish ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Before serving, chill four bowls for 30 minutes in the freezer. To serve, divide the gazpacho between the chilled bowls and top with the crabmeat and a generous spoonful of garnish. Serve immediately.
Recipe from ‘Fish For Dinner’ by Nathan Outlaw (Kyle Books, £28).
