CHICAGO (WLS) — Cooking up a Storm is elevating the typical spaghetti dish this week.
A new French restaurant in River North said crab spaghetti is one of their most popular dishes.
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They’ve taken the traditional Italian meal, and are adding in crab meat, caviar and lemon crème.
Chef Michael Taus from La Grande Boucherie joined ABC7 Chicago Thursday to talk more about it.
Visit www.boucherieus.com for more information.
Crab Spaghetti
Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Crème, Gremolata & Caviar
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients
Main Components
– 16 oz lump crab meat
– 1 oz Kaluga or Hackleback caviar
– 1 Tbsp Chopper Italian Parsley
– Fresh pasta (recipe below)
Lemon Crème
– 1/4 cup canola oil
– 4 garlic cloves, sliced
– 1/4 cup chopped shallots
– 1 small head fresh fennel, small diced
– 12 oz clam juice
– 1 quart heavy cream
– 1 oz fresh lemon juice
– Zest of 1 lemon
– Salt and white pepper, to taste
Preparation:
1. In a saucepan, sweat the garlic, shallots, and fennel in canola oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent.
2. Add clam juice and reduce by half.
3. Stir in heavy cream and reduce again by half.
4. Blend the mixture until smooth, then pass through a chinois or fine strainer.
5. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and white pepper. Reserve warm.
Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes
– 1 cup halved multicolor cherry tomatoes
– 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– Pinch of sugar
– Salt and white pepper, to taste
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Arrange on a rack over a sheet tray.
3. Bake at 225F (107C) for about 45 minutes, until slightly dehydrated.
4. Let cool and reserve.
Gremolata
– 1 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs
– 1/4 cup butter
– 1/4 cup garlic oil
– 1/2 tsp celery salt
Preparation:
1. In a large rondeau or sauté pan, melt the butter with garlic oil.
2. Add breadcrumbs and stir constantly over medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Season with celery salt, mix well, and remove from heat.
4. Let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Fresh Pasta Dough
– 1 3/4 cups (8 oz) all-purpose flour
– 6 large egg yolks
– 1 large egg
– 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
– 1 Tbsp milk
Preparation:
1. Mound flour on a clean surface and form a wide well in the center.
2. Add egg yolks, egg, olive oil and milk to the well.
3. Using your fingers, gently beat the eggs and gradually incorporate flour from the inner rim.
4. When the mixture thickens, use a pastry scraper to cut in the remaining flour until a shaggy dough forms.
5. Bring together with your hands and knead until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
6. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
7. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
Rolling & Cutting:
1. Set pasta machine to widest setting. Flatten dough and roll through 5 times, dusting with flour as needed.
2. Continue narrowing the setting, rolling the dough several times per setting until the sheet is about 1/16 inch thick.
3. Cut using the spaghetti attachment, dust lightly with flour, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
To Cook Fresh Pasta
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
2. Add fresh pasta and cook 2-5 minutes, until al dente.
3. Taste to ensure slight firmness in the center, then transfer directly to the sauce.
Assembly
1. In a medium sauté pan, gently heat the Lemon Crème.
2. Add lump crab meat and toss lightly to warm through.
3. Add the cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated with sauce.
4. Divide pasta among four warm bowls.
5. Sprinkle Gremolata over the center of each portion.
6. Reheat Oven-Dried Tomatoes briefly at 350F until warm, then arrange six tomatoes around each plate, alternating colors.
7. Garnish with a touch of chopped parsley.
8. Finish by placing a quenelle of caviar in the center of each bowl.
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Dining and Cooking