Crab Appetizer with Grapefruit and Avocado

Our friends came for dinner last weekend and I decided to try something new for appetizer! After checking a few of my cookbooks, I settled on a crab appetizer, served in a glass, with avocado and grapefruit. The finished dish was topped with a "gelée". I served these in Martini glasses and the result was very nice. The flavors do go very well together. And if you do not have crab, you can substitute shrimp or smoked salmon for it!

Crab Appetizer with Grapefruit and Avocado

Serves 6




3 grapefruits
3 avocados
2 limes (zest and juice)
14 oz fresh lump crab meat
3 cherry tomatoes, cut in halves lengthwise
2 Tbsp freshly chopped chive
3 sheets gelatin (about 3/4 Tbsp granulated)




Prepare the ingredients
Peel the grapefruits and cut into pieces. Reserve the juice and set aside.
Grate the zest of one lime and set aside.
Add the juice of one lime to the grapefruit juice.
Place the sheets of gelatin in cold water. Reserve.
Peel the avocados and mash with a fork. Add the juice of half a lime and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Check the crab meat for hard pieces and set aside.
Drain the grapefruit pieces and heat about 1/3 cup of the juice. Add the gelatin and mix until dissolved.

Assemble the appetizer:
Divide the crab meat among 6 Martini glasses. Top the crab with the avocado, then the grapefruit. Sprinkle with the chive and lime zest; top with on half cherry tomato, open face up. Pour the gelatin/grapefruit-lime juice on top and refrigerate for a few hours.

Serve cold with a dollop of Creme Fraiche.