DUNGENESS CRAB WITH BEET PUREE AND GREEN HARISSA

By akselden

Ingredients

• FOR GREEN HARISSA:
• 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ripe avocados
• freshly ground black pepper
• Green Harissa (recipe follows)
• 3/4 pound Dungeness crabmeat, cooked and
• shells removed
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Beet Puree (recipe follows)
• bunch watercress, tough stems removed
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• large pinch of cracked black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 3 jalapenos, seeds removed and saved
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 bunches cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and
• coarsely ground
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• FOR BEET PUREE
• 3/4 pound roasted red beets, peeled
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons peeled, diced shallots
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• kosher salt and freshly ground
• black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Combine shallots, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in small bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Whisk in olive oil to form vinaigrette. Set aside. Cut avocados in half lengthwise; remove pit and peel. Cut into 1/4"-thick slices; cut slices in 14"pieces. Season avocado pieces with salt and pepper. Toss with 1 tablespoon Green Harissa. In large bowl, gently combine crab with vinaigrette, parsley and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and lime juice, as desired. On each plate, dollop large soup spoon of Beet Puree and use back of spoon to spread it into half-moon shape from 6 to 10 o'clock position. Place bundle of watercress at 12 o'clock position on each plate. Divide crab in center of each plate just touching watercress.
Spoon avocado next to crab, and top with crème fraiche. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Place generous spoonful of harissa at 3 o'clock position on each plate. Serve.

FOR GREEN HARISSA
Puree garlic, jalapenos and half of salt. Add cilantro and parsley, and process until finely minced. Add cumin, caraway seeds and jalapeno seeds. Process, gradually adding olive oil until emulsified. Season with lime juice and remaining salt.

FOR BEET PUREE
Puree first 4 ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.