A Labor-free Labor Day Recipe

Darlings, I swear this end-of-summer heatwave is causing my keyboard to wilt. To avoid an ugly mess (and to get myself to the gym to burn off last night’s gorgonzola burger and Pinot Noir), I am re-blogging last year’s recipe for a refreshingly chilly avocado soup. Try it tonight with a cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc. And in case you were wondering, my summer vacay has drawn to a close, so stay tuned for fresh new posts starting next week. Feliz Labor Day!

Guac rocks, but hot (as in weather) goes better with chilled eats. I opened the fridge yesterday in search of a quick afternoon snack and found myself face to face with five small,  it’s-now-or-never ripe avocados. I was a slacker about going to the store this week, so Necessity kicked in and I found myself the mother of an impromptu end-of-summer meal idea: cold avocado soup.

What can I say – it’s quick, it’s easy, and it looks like you labored over it for hours. Toss some canned crab with onions, lemon juice and salt, drop a forkful on top of your soup, and girlfriend, you’ve got yourself a bowl of Señorita Vino’s official ‘Adios Summer’ Soup.

I suggest pairing this with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Either a New Zealand Sauv Blanc or a Chilean Sauv will do; you’ll have more grapefruit notes in a New Zealand Sauv Blanc and herbaceous, grassy notes in the Chilean version.

Give the recipe a whirl and let me know what you think. Even better, be creative and add your own variations and seasonings. I’d love to hear your  twist on what’s sure to be a Labor Day party fave.

Buen provecho, chicos y chicas!

Señorita Vino’s ‘Adios Summer’ Chilled Avocado Soup

(4 to 6 servings)

THE SOUP:

5 small ripe avocados (or 3 medium sized)

3 tbsp. nonfat plain yogurt

1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

THE TOPPING:

8 oz. of canned crabmeat (fresh is better, but canned was all I had in the kitchen!)

1/2 persian cucumber, seeded and diced

2 green onions, sliced

1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Peel and seed the avocados, chop and toss them in a blender. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic clove, salt and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste; chill. Drain the canned crabmeat and place it into a bowl. Add the sliced green onion, diced cucumber, chopped cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Toss until well-mixed and adjust seasonings according to taste. Chill the crab topping. Pour the avocado soup into a bowl and top with two or three forkfuls of the crab mixture. Now relax, pour yourself a glass of chilled vino blanco and enjoy the last official weekend of summer!