Beet-potato causa, king crab, huancaina, salmon roe, and tobiko
Diego Oka
La Mar Restaurants
Miami, Florida
In discussing American crudo, it would be remiss to pass by the trend-setting cuisine of Gastón Acurio, founder of the La Mar collection of restaurants. At the chain’s Miami location, Chef Diego Oka rules the kitchen. Oka has opened several of the La Mar locations from Mexico City to Colombia to San Francisco, and his creations continue to wow diners with their both flavors and presentation.
Oka’s beet potato causa, king crab, huancaina, salmon roe and tobiko is no exception. Its brilliant colors burst from the plate in unison with its bold bright, flavors. Perhaps a pisco sour may be the beverage of choice to pair with this crudo – its bounce of bubbles and citrus being a playful foil for the dish.
Beet potato causa, king crab, huancaina, salmon roe and tobiko
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Idaho potatoes, boiled and puréed
- 5 tablespoons roasted beet purée
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 10 tablespoons canola oil
- salt
- 8 ounces Alaskan king crab meat, shredded
- 1 tablespoon Kewpie mayonnaise
- Shichimi togarashi
- ½ avocado
- ½ teaspoon mayonnaise
- Lime juice
- 5 ounces aji amarillo, seeds and stem removed
- 2 ounces confit red onions
- 1 ounce confit garlic
- 2 ounces queso fresco
- 10 saltine crackers
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup canola oil
- Marigold petals
- Salmon roe
- Tobiko
For the beet-potato causa:
In a bowl, combine potato and beet purées, lime juice, and canola oil. Season with salt and transfer to pastry bag with a fine tip.
For the king crab salad:
In a bowl, gently combine crab, mayonnaise, and lime juice. Season with togarashi.
For the huancaina sauce:
In a blender, combine aji amarillo, red onion, garlic, queso fresco, crackers, and milk; purée. With the blender running, slowly pour in canola oil to emulsify. Season with salt.
To assemble and serve:
Using a spoon, place 2 ounces of King Crab Salad in the center of a plate and top with 2 ounces Huancaina Sauce. Cover by piping Beet-Potato Causa around the crab. Garnish with flowers, roe, and tobiko. Finish plate with dots of Avocado Purée.
Recipe and photo courtesy of StarChefs: http://www.starchefs.com/
