Crab Timbale With Avocado and Quinoa on Gazpacho

Remove possible shells in the lump crabmeat by spreading the crab onto a cookie sheet and baking in a 350 degree oven for 1 minute. (The tiny shell pieces turn bright white and become easily visible.) Combine in a bowl the crabmeat, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Reserve crab mixture in the refrigerator.

Next, combine the following ingredients to create a layer of the timbale: avocado, jalapeno, red onion, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Reserve the mixture in the refrigerator.

Cook the quinoa in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. (Quinoa, pronounced Keen-wah, is a healthful grain used in South American cuisine. Tiny and bead shaped, the ivory-colored quinoa cooks very similar to rice and expands to four times its original volume. Quinoa can be found in health-food stores and some supermarkets.)

Strain the quinoa and allow it to cool before adding the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and cucumber.

Mold the reserved mixtures in a small timbale, making layers starting with the crab mixture, then the avocado, and finally the quinoa. (A timbale is a small mold that is generally high-sided and tapered at the bottom, usually used to serve au-jus when ordering a prime rib.) Keep the finished timbale in the cooler until ready to serve.

Gazpacho

Roughly chop all ingredients and mix thoroughly with salt. Puree the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning with more sea salt or fresh ground pepper.