AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

ANTIPASTO TROPICALE (Tropical antipasto) Obviously made in the summer, its light and heavenly.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

Cantaloupe  or Honeydew melon                    1

avocado (mature)                                          1

Backfin Crab Meat (fresh or canned)                1 pound

lime                                                              1

lemon                                                                       1

basil (fresh)                                                  8 leaves

olive oil (extra virgin)                                   as needed

red pepper                                                    as needed

salt                                                               as needed

How to do it:

Start by cleaning the melon:

Cut it in half and remove the seeds and any unwanted pulp.

Cut each half into 4 wedges and remove the skin from all 8 pieces.

Cut each of these 8 pieces in half.

Place 4 pieces in the center of a small desset plate.

Do the same for 4 plates.

Squeeze the juice from the lime and place it in a blender.

Peel and add the avocado to the blender along with a pinch of red pepper, a pinch of salt, the basil, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Check the crab meat for any unwanted cartilage.

Place about 4 ounces of crab meat in the cnter of each of the dessert plates along with the melon. (Now is where you get to use your imagination. Make it look tempting.)

With a spoon, place dabs of the avocado sauce decoratively around the plate or maybe put a line around the outside of the melon giving it a wheel effect.

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze a small amount of lemon juice over the crab meat and melon.

Garnish with more basil leaves if you like or maybe some mint leaves.

Voila. You’ve done it.