Dungeness Crab With Fennel Recipes

DUNGENESS CRAB AND FENNEL SALAD WITH CREAMY LIME DRESSING

Steps:

• Halve fennel lengthwise (or quarter if large) and discard core, then shave fennel lengthwise as thinly as possible using slicer. Soak sliced fennel in a bowl of ice and cold water until it is crisp, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Blend all dressing ingredients, except oils, with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender at high speed until combined. With blender still on high, add oils in a slow stream thourough top hole, blending until emulsified. Season with salt and white pepper.
• Drain fennel and pat dry, then toss with crabmeat and dressing. Divide spinach among 4 plates and top with crab salad.

DUNGENESS CRAB WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except tortillas and garnish and chill in the refrigerator. Serve within 3 to 4 hours.
• To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and garnish. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and garnish, fold, and eat right away.

OVEN-ROASTED DUNGENESS CRAB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, shallot, and dried crushed red pepper. Add crabs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley over crabs. Stir to combine. Place skillet in oven and roast crabs until heated through, stirring once, about 12 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer crabs to platter. Add orange juice and peel to same skillet; boil until sauce is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over crabs. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.

CELERY, FENNEL, AND APPLES SALAD WITH DUNGENESS CRAB

Steps:

• Pick through crab and remove any shell; if needed, rinse crab and squeeze dry. Refrigerate crab until ready to plate.
• Lightly peel the outside of the celery stalks to remove stringy portion. Cut the celery into paper-thin slices (a mandoline is best for this). You should have 1 cup. Trim fronds from fennel bulb, cut bulb in half lengthwise and cut out most of the solid core, leaving enough in place near the root end to hold fennel together. Shave fennel very thinly, too, so it is almost feathery, enough to make about 1 cup.
• Taste diced red onion; if very pungent, soak in cold water for about 15 minutes. Drain well, blot off excess moisture and combine with the celery and fennel. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Warm curry paste and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until curry paste looks grainy and becomes aromatic, about 15 seconds. In a small bowl, combine curry mixture, mayonnaise, 4 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice and a couple grinds of pepper; season with salt to taste.
• When ready to serve, cut apple into small dice and add to celery and fennel. Toss just enough curried dressing with the celery-fennel-apple salad to lightly coat.
• Whisk remaining 1-2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, dress lettuce with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat.
• Divide ingredients among 6 standard-size martini glasses, layering the lettuce, celery-fennel-apple salad and crab. Garnish crab with sprinkle of lemon zest and a fluff of mixed herbs. Serve with a lemon half-moon.