COLD YOGURT AND CRAB SOUP

Preparation: 20 minutes plus chilling time
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
For Soup
2 medium Armenian or burpless cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 3 cups)
2 medium yellow bell peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Cups 1-inch cubes honeydew melon
1 ½ Tab finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
1 fresh jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped (or to taste)
½ Cup plain yogurt
3 Tab fresh lemon or lime juice (or to taste)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

For Crab mixture
½ pound of Pontchartrain Blue Crab meat, picked over
1 Tab extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tsp white-wine vinegar (or to taste)
3 Tab finely chopped fresh chives (or to taste)

Garnish
Finely diced yellow bell pepper and 2-inche pieces fresh chives
 
Method:
Soup: In a blender puree soup ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Next force the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl and chill covered for 4 hours or until very cold. Soup may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Just before serving, in a small bowl toss crab with oil vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Divide crab mixture among 6 soup bowls, mounding it in center and ladle soup around it. Sprinkle each serving with finely chopped chives and garnish with diced yellow pepper and chive pieces.