Crab Duet A La Peruana Causa Rellena with Purple Potato, Aji Amarillo, Avocado, Garden Tomato, Diced Egg, Sweet Potato Threads & Flor de Jamaica

Recipe by Matthew Gilbert. Image: Diana DeLucia

Inspiration

This dish is intended to reflect the vibrancy of the Peruvian people, culture, and ingredient palette. Its lively colors and textures, combined with the acidity, spice, and salt present, will result in an adventurous eating experience and a culinary trip to one of the most enjoyable dining destinations in the world: Peru. ~Matthew Gilbert

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Crab Salad
Yield: 4 Portions

• 2 King Crab Legs
• 4 ounces Homemade Aioli
• Lime Juice (to taste)
• Sea Salt (to taste)

Causa Rellena
Yield: 4 Portions

• 6 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 1 ounce Aji Amarillo Paste
• 1 ounce Olive Oil
• Lime Juice (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

Aji Amarillo Vinaigrette
Yield: 1 cup

• 1/2 ounce Aji Amarillo Paste
• 2 ounces Lime Juice
• 1 ounce Dijon Mustard
• 1 small Shallot (chopped)
• 5 ounces Olive Oil
• Organic Honey (to taste)
• Sea Salt (to taste)

Avocado Emulsion
Yield: 1 cup

• 1/2 Avocado
• 2 ounces Lime Juice
• Aji Amarillo Vinaigrette
• 4 ounces Olive Oil
• Organic Honey (to taste)
• Sea Salt (to taste)

Other Elements

• 6 Purple Marble Potatoes
• 6 Yellow Marble Potatoes
• 6 Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Green and Black Olives
• 4 Physalis
• 1 Sweet Potato

Garnish

• Aji Panca Powder
• Hibiscus Powder
• Pea Tendrils
• Oregano or Basil (freshly picked)

Preparation

Crab Salad
Remove king crab legs from their shells. Choose the nicest pieces for presentation and marinate them in aji amarilla vinaigrette. Mix the other pieces with the Aioli, lime juice, and salt to make the crab salad. Chef Note: It is important to make your own Aioli instead of using a store-bought product. Crack egg yolks and one whole egg into a bowl. Add a dab of Dijon mustard and emulsify in a high-quality oil. Season with lemon juice and salt.

Causa Rellena
Peel the potatoes. Bring potatoes to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, as you would if making mashed potatoes. Drain and allow to sit and steam until room temperature. Mix it through a ricer with Aji Amarillo paste, olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Chef Note: The mix should be malleable but not too soft to hold its structure.

Aji Amarillo Vinaigrette
Place the Aji Amarillo paste, lime juice, mustard, and the shallot in a blender. Turn on the blender and slowly drizzle in the olive oil to form a tight emulsion. Season to taste with honey and sea salt. Set aside.

Avocado Emulsion
Place the avocado in a blender with the lime juice. Turn on and emulsify in the olive oil. Season to taste with honey and salt. 

Other Elements
Bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water, reduce to a simmer, cook until fork tender, drain, and allow to cool. Peel the potatoes and cut them into discs. Cut cherry tomatoes into various sizes and shapes. Peel the avocado. Slice off thin faces. Slice thinly lengthwise and then pull like a fan. Boil or steam the whole eggs for 9 minutes. Allow to cool, peel, and cut into various shapes and sizes.Pit green and black olives and tear them by hand into “petals.” Pull physalis from their husk while leaving it attached. Slice off the bottom of each physalis so that it stands flat. Peel the sweet potato and slice it thinly using a peeler or mandolin. Fry in hot oil until each piece begins to brown. Remove from oil and drain, seasoning with sea salt immediately.

Assembly

Place 3/4-inch of potato purée in a ring mold and push down evenly. On top of that, add 3/4-inch of crab salad. On top of that, add another 3/4-inch of potato purée to complete the timbale. Chef Note: Assure that each layer is evenly distributed and tamped down. Transfer the mold to the plate, but do not remove the timbale from the mold. Around this, place each ingredient using your eye as your guide. Chef Note: Negative space is important. Evenly distributing each item is important. Some ingredients stack well, and others do not. The components should have cohesion and flow, but plating like this is highly personal and will reflect your artistic eye. Seasoning with salt is crucial, and ingredients like the potatoes, crab and tomatoes can be dressed with the Aji Amarillo vinaigrette. The vinaigrette and the avocado purée can be dotted into the mix or pulled as you wish. Both powders look good together with those dots.

Wine Pairing 

Pascal Jolivet ‘Sauvage’ Sancerre, Loire Valley, France, 2022.

This wine is immediately identifiable on tasting thanks to its great freshness, liveliness, minerality, complexity and salinity on the finish. The wine complements the crab’s delicate flavor without overpowering it and takes flight with the rest of the dishes unique elements.

~ Taylor J. Nissen
Beverage Manager and Certified Sommelier

The Clubhouse at Medinah Country Club. Image courtesy Medinah Country Club.