Our 2003 Proprietress Reserve Chardonnay pairs superbly with this delicious crab dish.
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
• 2 large live Dungeness Crabs
• 3 TBL of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBL minced garlic
• 3 TBL minced shallots
• saffron
• 1 tsp mild California chili powder
• 1 cup of Vine Cliff Chardonnay
• 1½ cups Court Bouillon (see below)
• 1 TBL chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 TBL butter
Court Bouillon
• 4 Qts. of good water
• 2 cups of Vine Cliff Chardonnay
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• Juice of 3 lemons, then add the shells
• 4 bay leaves
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 1 TBL fennel seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
Put all ingredients for court bouillon in a large pot and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the crab and simmer for 10 minutes, remove and place on back to cool.
Remove top part of crabs and scrape the contents of the shell and body into a small bowl; reserve for Rouille. Pull the lungs from the crab body and discard. Break off each leg at the body and crack lightly in several places with a crab cracker or mallet, cut the body into 4 sections. Put into a bowl.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Select a large ovenproof sauté pan. Heat the olive oil in the pan until hot, add garlic and let bloom slightly then shallots and chili powder. Add crab. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well. Transfer to oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Place crab in a warm spot. Put pan on stove top. Deglaze with Chardonnay reduce to half then add 1½ cups of court bouillon. Reduce to half again and finish with fresh tarragon and butter.
Rouille
Take the reserved liver and tomalley from the crab and put in food mill. Add a pinch of saffron, mild chili powder to taste, minced garlic to taste, juice of one lemon and a splash of Chardonnay. Put in a small pot and simmer until thick. Let cool to room temperature. Then stir into one cup of (preferably homemade) mayonnaise.
Bruschetta
Set oven to broil. Slice 4, ½ inch thick slices of day old country Italian bread, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, place under broiler and broil until toasted. Turn over and toast the4 other side. Remove and rub with a fresh head of garlic cut through the middle.
To Serve
Place crab legs on the outside of a round platter and the bodies in the center. Spoon the pan sauce over the crab. Cur the Bruschetta into triangles and arrange on platter. Thin out Rouille if needed with a little warm water and drizzle over the crab and Bruschetta. Squeeze some fresh lemon, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil aver everything and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and tarragon. Open another bottle of Vine Cliff Chardonnay and enjoy!
Executive Chef Peter Hall
Peter Hall has been a good friend of Vine Cliff for many years. He provides all the culinary preparations at all winery functions. Here is a brief timeline of Peter's involvement in the art of fine cuisine:
“I started my culinary education at Tra Vigne from Chef Michael Chiarello. Shortly thereafter I was hired by Cindy Palcyn as Sous Chef of Mustard's Restaurant where I learned the fine skill of speed cooking. 1997 found me helping Jeremiah Towers open Stars Restaurant in Oakville. One year later I became the executive Chef and learned the proper etiquette of cooking and not being afraid of cooking anything from wood oven roasted whole Foie Gras to wood oven roasted whole deer. After Stars closed, I was hired as Executive Chef of Piatti Restaurant in Yountville. I decided to hang up my restaurant Chef Jacket in April 2003 to do some private cooking for The Great Wineries and the wonderful people I have met in the valley for the last 20 years. Life is good!”