For your next party, try this Salad of Blue Crab with Acorn Squash from Chef Michael Gulotta of New Orleans’s MoPho.
Salad of Blue Crab and Candied Acorn Squash
2014-07-16 07:44:03
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 medium acorn squash, split in half and seeds scooped out (about 1¾ pounds), divided
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons curry powder, divided
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 5 ounces slab bacon, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
- ¾ cup pecan halves
- 10 ounces jumbo lump Louisiana blue crab
- 1 handful of spicy micro greens (sylvetta arugula or petite mustard greens)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the inside of one squash half with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon curry powder. Place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool.
- Peel and cut the remaining squash half into ½-inch pieces. In a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup water, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon curry powder; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add diced squash to sugar mixture, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove squash from syrup with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Peel roasted squash and scoop pulp into the work bowl of a food processor. Add ¼ cup sugar syrup to squash and process until smooth, adding additional syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary.
- In a small skillet, heat remaining ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving oil in skillet. Stir in butter until melted, and whisk in vinegar; add salt to taste.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg white, remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, Creole seasoning, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Add pecans and toss to coat. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and add pecans. Bake until golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
- Toss crab and cubed squash with vinegar mixture to taste, reserving some for the greens. Place a dollop of curried squash purée on each plate and top with crab mixture. Garnish with spiced pecans and bacon. Toss micro greens with vinaigrette and place on top of salad.
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