dungeness crab salad with Roasted Beets, Citrus, Sea Buckthorn and Vanilla Bean Dressing

Recipe by Scott Pikey, Executive Chef at Mayacama Golf Club, Sonoma County, California, USA

Serves 8

Ingredients

Beets

• 14 Baby Candy Stripe Beets (washed and cleaned)
• 14 Baby Gold Beets (washed and cleaned)
• 2 cups Olive Oil
• 1 cup Orange Juic
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 3 cups Water

See Buckthorn Puree

• 1 cup Sea Buckthorn Berries
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Water

Citrus and Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette

• 1 cup Orange Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/2 cup Champagne Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Local Honey
• 3 cups Grape Seed Oil
• 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Fresh Vanilla Bean

To Finish

• 1 #Dungeness Crab Meat (picked and cleaned)
• 3 Baby Candy Stripe Beets (peeled and shaved raw)
• 3 Baby Gold Beets (peeled and shaved raw)
• 3 Blood Orange Segments
• 3 Caracara Orange Segments
• Sea Buckthorn Puree (see recipe)
• 2 Baby Fennel (shaved raw)
• 2 cups Mache Greens (wild if possible)
• 1 ounce Yuzu Tobiko
• Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Sumac Powder
• Citrus and Vanilla Vinaigrette
• Sea salt

Preparation

Beets

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees °F
Trim the beets tops and wash thoroughly with water until all dirt is removed.
Place the beets in a separate baking dish according to color. 
Combine the oil, orange juice, sugar, salt and water and pour over the beets. 
Cover the dish with a tight heat proof lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven.
Cook the beets 45 minutes or until tender. 
Remove and cool to room temperature. 
Peel the beets using a kitchen towl to remove the skin. 
Quarter 14 beets and cut the rest into rounds. 

Sea Buckthorn Puree

In a small sauce pan add the water and sugar and simmer until light Carmel. 
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and add the sea buckthorn berries, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and reduce the liquid by half.
Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the puree through fine sieve and cool.

Citrus and Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette

(Reduce on low heat until a syrup consistency and cool)
Combine the orange juice, vinegar, honey and vanilla bean and whisk together in a stainless steel bowl. 
Slowly incorporate the olive oil until all the ingredients are combined. 
Season with salt and pepper. 
Finish and Assemble

Place the assorted beets in a mixing bowl and lightly dress with the citrus vinaigrette and season with salt. 
Assemble the beets in a shallow coupe style bowl. 
Thinly shave the baby fennel and raw beets on a mandolin. 
Arrange the shaved beets, crabmeat, fennel, blood orange and caracara segments around the dish.
Lightly dress the whole dish with the citrus vinaigrette and pinch more sea salt. 
Garnish with Mache greens, yuzu tobiko and sumac powder.

Wine Match

The flavor of the beets would be the dominating flavor so I would consider for white wine Albarino, Gruner Vetliner, or Torrantes.  A fruity Beaujolais could also work well and when in doubt a dry rose. 
 
If matching the flavors of the crab is your preference,  consider Sparkling wine, a dry Alsatian style Pinot Gris or Riesling.  An unoaked chardonnay might possibly work but stay away from oak.

Jeff McCarthy, Wine Director
Mayacama Golf Club

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Mayacama Golf Club, Sonoma County, California, USA
Image courtesy Mayacama