Chilled Crab Cakes with a Tropical Fruit Coulis

PreparationTo make the fruit coulis: Pureé the cantaloupe in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment until smooth. Pour into a medium–sized mixing bowl. Purée the pineapple until smooth. Combine pineapple purée with cantaloupe purée. Tie the fresh cilantro leaves in a 5-inch-square piece of cheesecloth. Add sachet to purée. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar, if necessary. For the crabmeat: Combine crabmeat, lemon juice, cilantro, fish sauce, and jalapeño in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Fold carefully with a rubber spatula to prevent breaking up lumps of crabmeat. Place a ring mold, cookie cutter, or PVC piping that is about 2 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches wide on each of 4 chilled plates. With a teaspoon, scoop about 1/4 of the avocado from the shell and place at the bottom of the mold. Pack it down lightly with the back of the spoon. Place 1 tablespoon of mango on top of the avocado and press down gently. Top with 1/4 of crabmeat mixture and smooth off the top with the flat side of the knife. Carefully remove ring mold. Repeat process on the 3 remaining plates. Ladle Tropical Fruit Coulis around the edges of the crab mold and serve chilled.

PreparationTo make the fruit coulis: Pureé the cantaloupe in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment until smooth. Pour into a medium–sized mixing bowl. Purée the pineapple until smooth. Combine pineapple purée with cantaloupe purée. Tie the fresh cilantro leaves in a 5-inch-square piece of cheesecloth. Add sachet to purée. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar, if necessary. For the crabmeat: Combine crabmeat, lemon juice, cilantro, fish sauce, and jalapeño in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Fold carefully with a rubber spatula to prevent breaking up lumps of crabmeat. Place a ring mold, cookie cutter, or PVC piping that is about 2 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches wide on each of 4 chilled plates. With a teaspoon, scoop about 1/4 of the avocado from the shell and place at the bottom of the mold. Pack it down lightly with the back of the spoon. Place 1 tablespoon of mango on top of the avocado and press down gently. Top with 1/4 of crabmeat mixture and smooth off the top with the flat side of the knife. Carefully remove ring mold. Repeat process on the 3 remaining plates. Ladle Tropical Fruit Coulis around the edges of the crab mold and serve chilled.