California Avocado and Crab Salad en Gelée

Ingredients

 * 12 California avocados
 * 3 Cups chicken stock, divided
 * 30 Fresh basil leaves
 * 1 lemon grass stalk, about 9 inches
 * 1 lemon, large, peeled and sliced
 * 1 Serrano, about 5 inches long
 * 2 Tbsp Plain gelatin (2 envelopes)
 * 1 ½ Pounds Cooked crab meat
 * 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
 * 3 Tbsp Light soy sauce
 * lemon oil for garnish
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper for garnish
 * lemon slices for garnish
 * Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions
Bring to a boil 2 cups stock, basil, lemon grass, lemon, and chile, then steep, covered, about 20 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter. Meanwhile sprinkle gelatin on remaining 1 cup cool stock; let stand 1 minute, add to strained stock mixture, then heat, stirring until gelatin just dissolves.

Pour into a 9" x 12" pan; chill to set. Reserve; then cut into small dice just before service.

Mix crab meat with vinegar and soy sauce. Reserve.

Crosswise, thinly slice each avocado half, keeping slices for each avocado together. Line each of 12 small round molds or bowls (about 1 cup and 4 inches in diameter) with plastic film. Then line each mold with 1 sliced avocado, overlapping slices starting at centers of the bowls. Divide crab mixture among them, packing meat in. Chill.

Per order, unmold 1 salad. Scatter about 1/4 cup diced gelatin around mold. Season avocado with drops of lemon oil, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh basil.