Crab with Cantaloupe and Caviar – Sea Salad

Crab with Cantaloupe and Caviar – Sea Salad

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Description

I thrive on discovering new flavor combinations, and Sea is a great example of a totally thrown together idea that worked out beautifully. That day I was really in the mood for some crab salad, but I wanted to do something untraditional. One of my purveyors had sent me some Tuscan cantaloupe to try, so I first made a melon emulsion. Then I tossed the crabmeat with my Colvin Vinaigrette (which is basically good on anything). I thought that avocado would be great with the melon, so I started with a little melon on the plate, then I layered sliced ripe avocado and the crab mixture with a huge quenelle of caviar I had on hand to top it all off. Honestly, it was like heaven. I had so much crab that I made two mini ones for my two friends downstairs, and they were like, "What the hell is this flavor combination? This is amazing!" Give it a try—it's elegant and just incredibly good.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds fresh crabmeat, cooked, shelled, and picked
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 bunch chives, chopped
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tuscan cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
2 avocados, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 ounce caviar (Sturgeon royal)

Directions

  1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, and mustard in a bowl. Slowly pour in the oils, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Squeeze any excess water out of the crabmeat. Place the crab in a mixing bowl with the mayonnaise, vinaigrette, and chives, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together well and set aside. Purée the cantaloupe in a blender.
  3. For each serving, place 2 tablespoons of the cantaloupe purée in the center of the plate. Place a ring mold on top and fill with a layer of sliced avocado and then crab. Place a dollop of caviar on top of the crab to complete.