Food Pairing | Dungeness Crab Salad

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Dungeness Crab Salad with Garlic, Roasted Shallots and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Chef Thierry Rautureau / Rover's Restaurant - Seattle, WA

Pairs with: Rhubarb DRY Soda

1 head garlic
2 shallots
3 tbs. plus 4 tsp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 slices thyme brioche or 8 slices baguette
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp. pomegranate juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
6 oz. dungeness crabmeat
2 tsp. minced chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small handful chervil leaves or baby watercress
1 tsp. basil oil or extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To Roast Garlic:
Peel away the loose papery skin from the whole head of garlic and trim a bit of the root end to expose some of the garlic flesh and make it easier to squeeze out after roasting. Trim the root end from the shallots as well. Set the garlic and shallots in the center of a large piece of foil, drizzle them with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the package up securely and roast until tender when pressed between your fingers, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

- Trim brioche slices into 4-inch rounds.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the brioche slices and toast well on each side, approx 3 minutes total. Set aside on paper towels.
- Combine 1/4 cup pomegranate juice and the vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 5 to 7 minutes. Take the pan from the heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and set aside.
- Pick over crabmeat to remove any shell or cartilage. Set 4 large claw or leg portions aside for garnish. Put remaining crabmeat in a bowl. Add pomegranate vinaigrette and chives with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to evenly mix.
- Squeeze roasted garlic and shallots from their skins and coarsely chop. Toss garlic and shallots with remaining teaspoon of pomegranate juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the garlic/shallot mixture onto the toasted brioche rounds and set them on individual plates. Form large quenelles of the crab salad and set them on top of the brioche. Top the crab salad with reserved claw or leg portions.
In a small bowl, toss the chervil with the basil oil and a pinch of salt. Add the chervil salad alongside and serve.
Makes 4 servings
As published by Ten Speed Press-© 2005
Rover’s: Recipes from Seattle’s Chef In The Hatª!!!

A special thanks to Chef Thierry Rautureau and Rover’s Restaurant in Seattle, WA, for their addition to DRY’s recipe collection. To find out more about them, visit www.rovers-seattle.com.