Dungeness Crab and Cucumber
Diva Cucumbers, Mead-Pickled Rose Petals, Rice Vinegar
Chef Vince Nguyen of Jolie Laide | Portland, OR
Yield: 12 servings
Adapted by StarChefs | APril 2018
INGREDIENTS
Dungeness Crab:
1 live medium Dungeness crab
200 grams heavy cream
Mead-Pickled Rose Petals:
Petals from 40 roses, rinsed
750 milliliters mead
Cucumber:
400 grams small Diva cucumbers, rinsed
Salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Rice vinegar
METHOD
For the Dungeness Crab:
Set a large pot of water to boil. Prepare an ice bath. Cook crab in boiling water for 10 seconds. Plunge in ice bath. Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 67°C. Transfer crab to a vacuum bag, remove air, and seal. Cook crab sous vide 1 hour. Remove bag from circulator and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place bag under cold running water for 15 minutes. Transfer to ice bath and submerge for 15 minutes. Remove crab from bag and pick meat, reserving juices, shell, and meat separately. Use a black light to make sure all shell pieces have been removed from meat and juices. Combine crab meat and juices, cover, and refrigerate. Smash shell pieces and transfer to a food processor; coarsely grind. In a saucepan, combine cream and 200 grams ground shell. Bring to 60°C and cook for 30 minutes. Strain through a chinois. Chill.
For the Mead-Pickled Rose Petals:
Place petals in a heatproof vessel. In a pot, heat mead to a simmer. Pour mead over petals; cool. Transfer to a vacuum bag, remove air, and refrigerate.
For the Cucumber:
Using a blow torch, blacken cucumbers. Chill in refrigerator. Using a paper towel, clean the char off the cucumbers. Using a bamboo oroshi grater, grate cucumbers. Transfer grated cucumbers to a bowl and salt lightly. Set aside for 10 minutes; drain.
To Assemble and Serve:
Season Cucumber with rice vinegar and a little mead from the Mead-pickled Rose Petals. On a serving plate, place 30 grams seasoned Cucumber. In a small bowl, combine Dungeness Crab meat and cream. Arrange 35 grams crab mixture over Cucumber. Pull individual rose petals out of the mead and drape over the crab, covering it completely, about 15 petals.
