Chilled Three Green Soup with Crab Relish

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 45 minutes plus refrigeration

1 quart chicken stock
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ medium head escarole lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups
1 bunch (6 to 8) green onions, chopped (about ½ cup)
½ medium heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves, torn (about 2 cups)
1 cup whipping cream
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound fresh crabmeat, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

Heat the chicken stock, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large soup pot, over medium high heat until it begins to boil.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the escarole and green onions. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the romaine lettuce. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the spinach. Cook for 2 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Alternatively, you may puree the soup in batches in the bowl of a food processor.)

Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Combine the crabmeat, peppers, cucumber, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Add the whipping cream and lemon juice to the chilled soup.

Adjust seasonings.

Divide the crab relish into 8 serving bowls. Ladle the soup around the relish.