Instructions: Seafood Alternatives: surimi crab, cooked shrimp Pour about 1 1/2 cups of the tomato juice into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Trim the stem end of the corn ear and set the ear upright on the chopping board. Use a sharp knife to cut away a few rows of the kernels at a time, turning the ear until you have cut away all of the kernels. Put the corn in a small bowl and set aside.

Put about half the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and bell pepper in the work bowl of a food processor and work the vegetables until finely chopped. Do not thoroughly puree them, as you want to keep some texture and crunch.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and process the remaining vegetables with the garlic, parsley and olive oil. Stir this mixture into the bowl along with the remaining tomato juice. You can also prepare the soup in a blender, chopping the vegetables in 4 to 5 batches.

Season the soup to taste with Tabasco, salt and pepper and chill until ready to serve. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with the corn kernels. Arrange the crab decoratively over the soup and add the tomato juice ice cubes. You may also want to pass the Tabasco separately for those who prefer extra-spicy flavors.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments: This soup was made with summer in mind; the same sun that draws us all outdoors also ripens the tomatoes, bell peppers, corn and other vegetables that add body and flavor to the soup. It is similar to gazpacho, a traditional cold Spanish soup. A handful of sweet crabmeat is the perfect foil for the zesty, fresh flavors of the vegetables. Any leftover grilled seafood from the night before would be delicious in this recipe: salmon, shrimp, lobster, sea bass, halibut or tuna.

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