by Carly Martinez

King Crab with Lemon Grass Broth

by Carly Martinez

Recipe courtesy of Chef Shane Moore, South Restaurant, Anchorage, AK

Rich, buttery wild Alaska king crab takes center stage in this vibrant bowl layered with bright citrus, fragrant lemongrass, and fresh herbs. A warm kaffir lime broth brings everything together, while quinoa, kale, fennel, orange, and cilantro ginger pesto add plenty of color, texture, and freshness. It is elegant enough for a special dinner, but every bite still feels light, lively, and incredibly satisfying.

SERVES 4

Ingredients

KAFFIR LIME AND LEMONGRASS BROTH:

1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp black peppercorn
3 stalks lemongrass (split)
1 package (about .5 oz) kaffir lime leaves
3 quarts (or 12 cups) of water

WILTED KALE AND QUINOA SALAD:

2 cups cooked tri-colored quinoa
1/2 cup dry uncooked quinoa
1 cup torn kale leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic

CILANTRO GINGER PESTO:

1 bunch of cilantro
1-1/2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 oz toasted almonds (about 3/4 cup cut into thin pieces)
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

FENNEL ORANGE SALAD:

4 oz fennel, sliced thin
1 orange, segmented (removing the membranes from citrus fruit to separate it into clean, skinless wedges)
1 tsp fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

BUTTER-POACHED ALASKA KING CRAB:

8 oz clarified butter or ghee (see footnote for optional homemade clarified butter)
2-3 lbs of wild Alaskan king crab
beet sprouts, for garnish

Instructions

KAFFIR LIME AND LEMONGRASS BROTH:

Place all ingredients in a large pot over high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and strain broth, discarding solids. Keep broth warm until ready to serve.

WILTED KALE AND QUINOA SALAD:

Remove stems from kale and tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Heat oil in a pan and sauté garlic 1 minute or until golden. Turn off heat and stir in kale and cooked quinoa.

CILANTRO GINGER PESTO:

Place all ingredients in a blender and purée; set aside.

FENNEL ORANGE SALAD:

Combine fennel and orange in a mixing bowl. Squeeze lime over and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

BUTTER-POACHED ALASKA KING CRAB:

Heat clarified butter in a small saucepan and keep warm crabmeat from shell, keeping the meat in one piece, if possible. Dip crab in butter and gently toss to coat just before serving.

To serve: In a shallow serving bowl per person, add 1 or 2 ladles of kaffir lime broth. Toss wilted kale and quinoa salad with cilantro ginger pesto and divide evenly amongst bowls. Top with butter-poached king crab and fennel orange salad. Garnish, if desired, with beet sprouts.

Note: To make clarified butter, heat 12 oz unsalted butter in a heavy-duty saucepan over low heat until melted. Simmer gently until foam rises to top of surface; remove pan from heat and skim froth from the top (discard foam or keep for adding to soups, polenta, bread, oatmeal, etc.). Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Strain butter, leaving any solids in the pan. Store clarified butter in refrigerator up to several weeks.

'Have a different type of wild Alaskan crab? Feel free to substitute! Bairdi snow crab also works great in this recipe.

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