Chesapeake Crab with Tiny Asparagus and Bouillabaisse Gelée

Yield: 2 servings

• Salt
• Black Pepper, crushed
• Ice

Bouillabaisse:

• 8 ounces fish bones
• 1 bulb of fennel, medium diced
• 1 bunch basil (stems only)
• 1 onion, medium diced
• 2 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 tomato, peeled
• 1 pinch saffron
• 4 tiger prawns
• 5 sheets gelatin
• Water (to cover)

Tomato Dust:

• 1 tomato skin

Basil Oil:

• 1 bunch basil
• ½ cup olive oil

Crab:

• 2 lemons
• 1 cup sugar
• 12 spears baby asparagus
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 basil leaves

For the bouillabaisse gelée: Make a broth with the fish bones, onion, fennel, basil stems, garlic, tomato, saffron, and shrimp. Bring to a boil and add shrimp. After 2 minutes, remove shrimp, peel and set aside. Simmer the broth for an additional 25-30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, season, and add the gelatin sheets, stirring until the gelatin has dissolved. Chill until the stock is firm.

Tomato Dust: Dry the tomato skin in a 100ºF oven until crispy. Season with salt and pepper and grind to powder in a coffee grinder.

Basil Oil: Separate the basil leaves from their stems and reserve stems. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 1 second, then shock in ice water. Drain, dry, and chop finely with a knife. Place in a blender with olive oil and one ice cube. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine sieve or chinois.

Crab: Remove the zest from the lemons with a peeler and julienne. In a small pot, combine zest, 2 cups water and ? cup sugar and bring to boil. Strain, and repeat two times, replacing water and sugar each time. Strain and chill.

Blanch the asparagus spears in salted boiling water until crisp/al dente, remove and shock in ice water. Remove from ice water promptly and drain.

Combine the crab, shrimp, lemon zest, olive oil, lemon juice and julienned basil leaves.

To Serve: Place the asparagus in the center of the plate. Place the crab mixture and shrimp on top. Place a spoonful the gelée over the crab and shrimp. Garnish with basil leaves. Drizzle the basil oil around plate and sprinkle with tomato dust.