Crab and Cucumber Soup and a Fishmonger Recommendation

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The weather may have cooled considerably, and the interminable heat wave(s) may finally be behind us, but I’m not quite ready to give up on chilled soups for the summer.  So, here’s one from Nigel Slater, a chilled cucumber soup topped with crab meat.  The recipe is easy to follow and accurate, but one word of advice: be sure to dice the cucumber very finely, as it will determine the consistency of your soup.

More importantly, if you’ve been looking for a fishmonger in Center City or South Philly that is as concerned about sustainable seafood as you are, try Ippolito’s Seafood.  You’ll know where and how the fish was caught, and just how sustainable those methods and fish stocks are.  I first learned about Ippolito’s and their business practices at a demonstration by the restaurant C19 at the annual Good Food, Good Beer, and the Rest is History (hosted by Slow Food Philly and Farm to City).  Since then, I’ve been there at least once a week for oysters (raked from Virginia), swordfish (hook and line from New York), and even New Jersey fluke.  I can finally try all those recipes in the River Cottage Fish Book without guilt.