Salad of Dungeness Crab, Blood Oranges, and Shaved Fennel

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 blood oranges
3/4 cup/about 150 ml freshly-squeezed orange juice (preferably from blood oranges)
2 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves removed and finely chopped
1/4 cup/45 ml olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 head oak lettuce or red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 small Fuji apple, cored, very thinly sliced on a mandoline
One 1¾-pound/795-g cooked whole Dungeness crab, meat removed from body and claws

Method:

Remove the peel and white pith from the oranges. Working over a large bowl to catch the juices and using a small sharp knife, cut the oranges between the membranes to release the segments into the bowl.  Squeeze the membranes into the bowl to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain the blood orange juice into a measuring cup and set the orange segments aside. You should have about ½ cup/120 ml of blood orange juice. Add enough regular orange juice to the accumulated blood orange juice to equal 1 1/4 cups/300 ml of juice total. 

Simmer 1 cup/250 ml of the juice in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until it is reduced down to ¼ cup/25 ml and has a thick syrup-like consistency. Set the orange reduction aside. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup/50 ml of reserved orange juice and the tarragon in a medium bowl. 

Slowly add the olive oil to the orange juice and tarragon mixture, whisking constantly to blend well. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the lettuce leaves, fennel slices, apple slices and reserved orange segments in a large bowl. Add the crab meat and toss to combine.

Toss the salad with the dressing to coat. Divide the salad among 4 bowls. Drizzle the orange reduction syrup over and around the salads and serve.

Grilled Sole with a Blood Orange Crust and Fresh Baby Spinach

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 blood oranges
1 teaspoon/4 g sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml plus 2 teaspoons/10 ml extra virgin olive oil
Eight 3-ounce/80-g sole fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon/15 g unsalted butter
12 ounces/240 g fresh baby spinach leaves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°F/95°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a microplane grater, grate the zest from the oranges onto the parchment paper. You should have about ½ cup/50 g of peel.

Sprinkle the zest evenly over the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, or until the zest is completely dry and crisp. Transfer the zest to a small bowl and stir in the sugar.

Preheat the oven 500°F/260°C. Drizzle 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil over each of two heavy large baking sheets.  Place 4 sole fillets on each baking sheet and turn to coat with the oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the zest mixture over the fillets. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon/15 g of butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the spinach and sauté for 3 minutes, or until it wilts. Season the spinach to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the spinach from the heat.

Using tongs, squeeze some of the excess moisture from the spinach, if necessary, and divide the spinach among 4 plates.  Place the fish fillets over the spinach.  Drizzle the remaining 2 teaspoons/10 ml of oil around the fillets and serve.

Chocolate Fondants

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the fondants:

1 tablespoon/15 g plus 2 sticks (1 cup)/226 g unsalted butter
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
8 ounces/210 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
4 large free-range eggs
4 large free-range egg yolks
2/3 cup/135 g sugar
1/3 cup/50 g all purpose flour, sifted

For the sauce:

1 cup/240 ml whipping cream
8 ounces/225 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

Vanilla ice cream, to serve

Method:

To make the fondants:

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200C.  Coat six 3-inch-/8-cm-deep x 2 1/2-inch-/6-cm-wide molds or six ¾- cup/180-ml, ovenproof custard cups with 1 tablespoon/15 g of butter.  Dust the molds with cocoa powder, rolling each mold around to cover the sides and bottoms well and tapping out any excess cocoa.

Stir the chocolate and remaining 2 sticks/226 g of butter in a heavy medium saucepan over a low heat until smooth. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and doubled in volume; this will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared molds, dividing equally.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly puffed and just set around the sides (a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes should come out with batter attached). Let the fondants rest for 3 to 4 minutes.

To make the sauce:

Meanwhile, bring the cream just to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.  Turn off the heat and add the chocolate.  Stir constantly until melted and smooth.

To serve:

Place a plate over each fondant. Holding the plate and mold together, invert the fondants onto the plates, giving a sharp little shake to loosen.  The fondants will slide out onto the plates.  Spoon the chocolate sauce over the fondants and serve with vanilla ice cream.