Gazpacho With Cumin, Basil, and Crabmeat

The ultimate summertime soup. This recipe comes from the always lovely Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. My favorite hotel in the big city. I love this soup. I could eat this any time of year but do prefer it on a hot day with a chilled dry white wine.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and quartered
• 1⁄2 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 1  green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
• 1  pinch cayenne
• 1  pinch cumin
• 1  teaspoon  rice wine vinegar
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
•  salt anf fresh ground white pepper
• 1⁄2 lb fresh lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell and cartlidge
• 1  teaspoon fresh basil

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, cayenne, cumin, vinegar, and oil in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree on high for 1 minutes, or until the mixture reaches the consistency of tomato soup.
2. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Place four glass serving bowls in the freezer to chill.
4. Refrigerate the crabmeat until ready to use.
5. When the soup is thoroughly chilled, remove from the refrigerator and stir well.
6. Pour equal portions into the four chilled bowls.
7. Spoon an equal portion of crabmeat into the center of each and sprinkle with the minced basil.
8. Serve immediately.