Summer soup: Green gazpacho with crab and walnuts

This fresh soup is perfect for early summer, says Lauren Taylor

Serve this at your next party (Kate Whitaker/PA)

The green gazpacho tastes so fresh and the flavours are so balanced, with each just showing enough of themselves when you give it a taste,” says chef Nathan Outlaw.

“As it is served chilled, it is also great for a party and actually benefits from being made well in advance so that the flavours have time to mingle.”

Green gazpacho with crab and walnuts

Serves: 4

Alternative fish: poached lobster, raw scallops (or cooked if you want) or smoked mackerel.

Ingredients:

200g (7oz) picked white crabmeat

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the green gazpacho:

1 celery stick, sliced

1 small green pepper, deseeded and chopped

150g cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 courgette, sliced

100g stale white bread, crusts removed

1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 tsp sugar

50g walnut halves, lightly toasted

100g baby spinach, picked

30g tarragon

10g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 tbsp cider vinegar

100ml olive oil

60g full-fat Greek yoghurt

200ml water

150g ice cubes

2tsp sea salt

White pepper, to taste

To garnish:

4 pickled walnuts, chopped

½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced

1 green apple, peeled and finely diced

1 small green pepper, peeled, deseeded and finely diced

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

6 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. For best results, mix together all the ingredients for the gazpacho the day before and leave them to mingle and get to know one another in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

2. The next day, place all the gazpacho ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for two minutes until smooth. Place a sieve over a bowl and pass the gazpacho through it, using the back of a ladle or large spoon to squeeze as much through the sieve as possible. Chill the gazpacho and discard any debris in the sieve.

3. To prepare the crabmeat, pick through your crab, checking for any shell or cartilage to discard. Place the white crabmeat in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate.

4. Mix all the garnish ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Before serving, chill four bowls for 30 minutes in the freezer. To serve, divide the gazpacho between the chilled bowls and top with the crabmeat and a generous spoonful of garnish. Serve immediately.

Recipe from ‘Fish For Dinner’ by Nathan Outlaw (Kyle Books, £28).