Oregon Dungeness Crab, Louie Sauce, Cucumbers, and Pickled Grapes

Adapted by StarChefs.com
November 2011
Yield: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

Charred Cucumbers
cucumbers, peeled
70:30 sugar-salt mixture by weight
Candied Cucumbers
2 English cucumbers, peeled
salt
¼ cup simple syrup
Instant Forest Pickled Cucmbers
2 English cucumbers
salt
¼ cup brine mixture
Crab Louie Sauce
2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Viridian Farms pimenton de la granja blend
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons jalapeno brunoise
¼ cup Cocktail sauce
salt
¼ teaspoon Franks Red Hot powder
lemon juice
Pickled Grapes
halved, seeded
1 cup grapes
3 ounces white wine vinegar
1 ounce white verjus
2 ounces simple syrup
To Assemble and Serve
1¼ pounds Little Forest crab
Coarse pickles, cut 1-inch long x 4 millimeters wide on a bias
De-ribbed red sea salt
sorrel, cut chiffonade
fresh lemon juice , transferred to a spray bottle

METHOD:

For the Charred Cucumbers:
Toss the cucumbers in the sugar-salt blend. Purge the cucumbers of liquid for 1 hour. Dry with a towel. Hit with a blowtorch until charred black. Immediately cut on a bias into 1-inch x 4 millimeter pieces.

For the Candied Cucumbers:
Season the cucumbers with salt. Put the cucumbers in vacuum bags and compress with the simple syrup. Cut open the bags, and cut the cucumbers in half, horizontally, then in half vertically. Slice the cucumbers thinly on a mandolin.

For the Instant Forest Pickled Cucumbers:
Season the cucumbers with salt. Put them into a vacuum bag and compress with ¼ cup Little Forest Pickle brine per bag. Leave to marinate until well flavored, cut open the bags, and cut the cucumbers in half, horizontally, then in half vertically. Slice the cucumbers thinly on a mandolin.

For the Crab Louie Sauce:
Combine the mayonnaise, Worceshtershire sauce, pimenton, parsley, chilies, and cocktail sauce in a blender and blend until well combined. Season to taste with salt, Franks Red Hot powder, and lemon juice.

For the Pickled Grapes:
Put the grapes into a mason jar. Add the vinegar, verjus, and simple syrup to the jar. Put the lid on the mason jar, and twist it lightly (NOT closed tight.) Put the jar in a cryovac machine and draw a vacuum twice. Store until ready to use.

To Assemble and Serve:
Pick through the crab, removing all shells. Sort the back fin meat from the lump meat. For each serving, plate 5 slices of Charred Cucumber, evenly spaced. On top of the Charred Cucumber, forming an X, plate 5 slices of Instant Forest Pickled Cucumbers. Portion 2 ounces of crab back fin per plate, and dress well with Crab Louie Sauce. Place 3 dollops of dressed crab meat on the top, middle, and bottom of the plate, next to your cucumber Xs.

Take 3 nice pieces of lump crab meat and place those on top of your 3 piles of dressed crab. Season the lump crab meat with coarse sea salt. Wrap 4 Candied Cucumber slices, and 4 Instant Forest Pickled Cucumbers around the piles of crab. Plate 5 to 6 dots of Crab Louie Sauce. On each dot of Louie Sauce, place a halved grape. Sprinkle the sorrel over the plate.Spritz with lemon juice.