Lemon Garlic Ajo Blanco

Chef Shaun McCrain, Seattle

Number of servings

Lemon Oil ingredients

  • 1 cup cold pressed olive oil
  • 1 Sunkist® lemon

Ajo Blanco ingredients

  • 4 cups seedless green grapes
  • 2 cups garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 cup toasted marcona almonds
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 6 Sunkist lemons (to yield cups of freshly-squeezed juice)
  • Salt to taste
  • 0.5 pound Dungeness crab meat
  • 2 tablespoons lemon oil (above recipe)

Lemon Oil

Directions

  1. Zest lemon leaving the bitter white pith behind.
  2. Heat oil and zest in a saucepan over low heat. Warm slowly, being careful not to let the oil reach a simmer.
  3. After 10 minutes remove the pan from the heat, cool to room temperature and strain oil into an airtight jar or bottle.

Ajo Blanco

Directions

  1. Blanch garlic cloves by placing peeled garlic cloves in a pot of cold water; bring to a boil and remove from heat shocking the cloves in an ice bath. Repeat at least 5 times until cloves are tender. This process will make the garlic flavor much milder.
  2. Place the grapes, blanched garlic cloves and almonds a blender and purée until smooth; transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Gently stir in heavy cream, lemon juice and salt to taste.
  4. Chill for 1 hour.
  5. Shape fresh Dungeness crab meat lightly dressed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon oil, chives, salt and lemon zest in a ring in the bottom of the bowl and then pour soup on top.
  6. Allow the soup to temper for 15 minutes before serving for optimal flavor.