Meredith Deeds has spent the last 20 years writing and teaching about food all over the country. Besides being a food consultant, writer and an occasional host of my radio show, The Weekly Dish, She has co-authored six cookbooks, among them are the James Beard Award finalist The Big Book of Appetizers (Chronicle Books), her best selling, The Mixer Bible (Robert Rose, Inc.), and 300 Sensational Soups (October 2008, Robert Rose, Inc.), which was chosen by Good Morning America as one of the top 10 cookbooks of 2008.

Meredith is now a columnist at the Star Tribune publishing tasty recipes each month and getting ready to spend a healthy dose of time in Spain.

Try her chilled Avocado and Soup with Crab Salad

Chilled Avocado Soup with Crab Salad

Serves 6

Soup

4 small avocados (about 2 cups)3 c. buttermilk1/4 c. basil leaves2 tbsp. fresh lime juice1/2 tsp. salt

Crab Salad

8 oz. lump crab meat, picked over1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper1/4 c. finely chopped red onion2 tbsp. finely chopped basil1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions

Puree all the soup ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the soup so it does not discolor. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

In a small bowl, gently combine the crab salad ingredients, trying not to break up the crab too much.

Taste the chilled soup and re-season with more salt and lime juice, if necessary. Divide among 4 serving bowls and top each with some of the crab salad.

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