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.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Colvin Vinaigrette
Salad
Preparation
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
