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Soft shell crab escovitch
Ingredients
Bell pepper confetti
- 1 red pepper, brunoise
- 1 yellow pepper, brunoise
- 1 green pepper, brunoise
- 1 orange pepper, brunoise
Seasoned vinegar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 6 Scotch bonnet chilies, halved
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) ground pimento
Pickled shallots
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 4 teaspoons (20 ml) salt
- 6 shallots, sliced into thin rings
Carrot meringue
- 4 ounces (120 g) carrot juice or puree
- 3/4 ounce (24 g) isomalt
- 1 1/3 ounce (40 g) egg white powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.2 g) ascorbic acid
Soft shell crab
- 4 soft shell crabs, remove skirt, guts, and gills
- 2 cups (470 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) ground pimento (allspice)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) paprika
- 2 cups (470 ml) buttermilk
- Oil, for frying
Directions
For the Bell Pepper Confetti:
Lay all brunoised peppers on a sheet of parchment and dehydrate for 8 hours at 130 F (54 C).
Seasoned vinegar
1. In a small saucepan, bring white vinegar to a gentle simmer. Add the Scotch bonnets and pimento.
2. Simmer for 45 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit at room temperature overnight.
Pickled shallots
1. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt until the sugar and salt are just dissolved.
2. Pour the warm liquid over the sliced shallots and let sit for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Carrot meringue
1. Mix carrot juice, isomalt, egg white powder, and ascorbic acid.
2. Allow mixture to hydrate in refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Bring out to room temperature for 30 minutes before whipping.
3. Whip mixture in a stand mixer set to medium-high speed for about 15 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag.
Soft shell crab
1. Heat 3 inches of oil in a high sided skillet to 350 F (175 C).
2. Sift together the flour, pimento, black pepper, salt, and paprika in a bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a second bowl.
3. Coat the crab in the seasoned flour, lift out and dust off. Transfer to the buttermilk and coat completely, lift and drain. Return to the seasoned flour and coat again. Dust off excess flour.
4. Transfer the breaded crab to the oil and fry for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat for remaining crabs.
To serve
1. On a large white plate, arrange a ruler marking a straight line from the top to the bottom, sectioning off about 1/3 of the surface. Pipe the carrot meringue in a series of dots, forming a straight line with no spaces, along the straight edge.
2. Use a blowtorch to darken the right side of the meringue.
3. Sprinkle the pepper confetti evenly to the left of the meringue.
4. Place a small mound of pickled shallots near the top right corner of the plate.
5. Drizzle the pepper vinegar over the fried crab, then arrange the crab over the shallots facing down and to the left. Make sure a bit of the shallots are visible under the crab.
