The Only Soup I Need This Summer (Mango Crab Gazpacho)

The longer I blog, the more I recognize that "foodies" come in all varieties. This is quite a relief to me as I used to think I was missing some gene prevalent among many foodies that programs a love of dining out. Yes I'll plan a few restaurants to hit if I'm going on vacation, but most days I honestly prefer food I've cooked or baked with my own hands over anything served to me by a waiter.

Lord knows this isn't because I fancy my cooking skills better than a restaurant chef's. There's simply something magical about the process of turning simple ingredients into a flavorful, satisfying meal that I'm addicted to. Plus as a health-conscious pescatarian (who eats no meat except seafood), I'm a bit wary of restaurant dishes drowned in butter or containing hidden meat products like chicken broth.

That being said, I'm not immune to the charms of particularly excellent restaurant food. Today's mango crab gazpacho is actually inspired by a soup I sampled my first week working in D.C. It's been four years since that meal and I can honestly say I've been dreaming of recreating that gazpacho every summer since. Well I've finally done it, and while I can't guarantee it's as good as Ceiba's, it's every bit as refreshing and addictive as I remember. In fact I've already decided...this is the only soup I'll need for the rest of the summer =D.

Mango Crab Gazpacho Soup [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from mango gazpacho on Allrecipes
Serves 4 to 6

XIAOLU'S NOTES: For my vegetarian/vegan friends, feel free to omit the crab entirely or replace with some other mildly flavored protein. The flavor profile won't be the same, but it'll still be a wonderfully refreshing summer soup =D.

2 cups diced fresh mango, divided
1 1/4 cups orange juice
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large cucumber, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced [optional]
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro OR basil, plus larger leaves to garnish
1 to 2 slices wheat bread, well-toasted and crusts removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 1 1/2 cups jumbo lump crab, picked over

Reserve 1/3 cup each diced cucumber and bell pepper for garnish. Process ingredients from mango through cilantro in a food processor or blender until smooth. Tear toasted bread into chunks, add to food processor, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made several hours before serving.)

When ready to serve, toss reserved cucumber, bell pepper, and cilantro leaves together with the crab. Pour chilled gazpacho into serving bowls or cups, then divide the topping evenly among the bowls. Direct each diner to stir the topping into the soup before eating.