Page 88 - SFC - V15

Soups
California Avocado Gazpacho Dungeness Crab, Toybox Tomato, Opal Basil
Mark Dommen, Chef/Partner
Serves 6
Gazpacho:
4 California Avocados, peeled and diced (See Note) 1 medium Sweet Onion, peeled and diced
12 Tomatillos, peeled, washed and diced
1 English Cucumber or similar, diced
1 bulb Fennel, diced 1/2 Jalapeno, diced 1/2 cup Lime Juice 1/2 bunch Cilantro Sea Salt to taste Water as necessary
Garnish:
2 California Avocados
12 oz Dungeness Crab, free of all shells
1 basket Mixed Cherry Tomatoes also called toybox tomatoes Micro Opal Basil
3 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Herb Flowers (optional)
For the Gazpacho:
To Serve:
• Place a California avocado and crab ball into the center of
6 soup bowls. Divide the tomato halves among the bowls. Pour the soup around the avocado balls. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with opal basil and herb owers. Serve immediately.
Note: e best way to peel an avocado is to carefully cut a ripe avocado in half length-wise around the seed. en rotate the avocado 1⁄4 turn and cut lengh-wise around the seed to make 1⁄4 -avocado segments. Separate the quarters and remove the seed. Starting from the tip, carefully peel each segment like a banana.
Classic Onion Soup
12 Onions (sliced)
1 cup Butter, melted
1 cup Milk
1 sprig Rosemary
1 sprig Thyme
3 Bay Leaves
Salt
Pepper
2 thin slices Gruyere
2 thick slice French Baguettes
• Take a large pot and add butter and onions. Cook down
on medium heat, stiring frequently, until the onions are
caramelized. This should take abut a half hour.
• Once the onions are caramelized add the our to them and mix.
Bring this mixture to a simmer and add your veal stock.
• Add your thyme and rosemary, then let the soup simmer over
medium heat for about two hours.
• Once soup has reduced nish with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide soup into four bowls. Add toasted slices of French
baguette and top with Gruyere cheese. Cook under broiler or in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.
• Combine all the soup ingredients into a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Allow to sit refrigerated for 30 minutes to bring out the juices of the vegetables and allow the avors to combine. Place the ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Pass the soup through a ne mesh strainer in order to remove any large pieces. Check the seasoning and season to taste with salt. If the soup is too thick, thin it down with a little water to the desired consistency.
For the Garnish:
• Start by seasoning the crab with salt, lemon juice and olive
oil. Take one of the quarters of avocado and slice it lengthwise nice and thin. Lay the slices staggered onto a piece of plastic wrap until you’ve used up all the avocado quarter. Season the avocado with a little salt and place 2 oz of crab in the center of the avocado slices. Picking up the corners of the plastic wrap forming a ball with avocado and crab meat. The avocado will be outside of the crab creating a little ball. Do this with the 5 other pieces until you have 6 crab and avocado balls. Cut the toybox tomatoes in half and season with olive oil and sea salt. If you so desire, the tomatoes can be peeled by blanching them quickly in water which will make the skins easy to remove.
86 www.sanfranciscocuisine.com The Premier Culinary Guide to Fine Restaurants and Wineries San Francisco Cuisine Volume XV
Recipes