Herb Abundance

Robey uses parsley to demonstrate herb infusion technique:
1. Freeze two cups of salad oil in freezer for one hour.
2. Bring slightly salted water to a simmer. Quickly blanch three cups of parsley.
3. Chill the parsley while pressing out the excess water in a small metal bowl that is resting inside a larger metal bowl full of ice.
4. Remove salad oil from freezer, and add cold salad oil, parsley, a touch of salt and white pepper to a blender and pulse for 30 seconds until the liquid turns green.
5. Let the oil stand for five minutes.
6. Strain slowly through a wet coffee filter.
The oil will keep in the refrigerator for up to six weeks.

While the oil is straining, Robey prepares a salad to be tossed with the oil. “This crab and watermelon salad is a good example of the food on our new menu,” he says. “Fresh, local ingredients prepared simply to let their great flavors come through!”

Salad Ingredients:
8 ounces of shell free, lump crabmeat
.50 cup diced, seedless red watermelon
.50 cup diced, seedless yellow watermelon
1 red tomato, cut into quarter slices
1 yellow tomato, cut into quarter slices
long-cut chives, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 medium cucumber, shaved with a peeler
1 small, red onion
.25 cup chiffonade mint
.20 cup chiffonade cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Toss the salad with the herb infused oil. Arrange tomatoes on individual salad plates, alternating two slices of red and two slices of yellow tomatoes. Add handful of remaining salad ingredients with crab legs on top. Drizzle herb infused oil around the edges of the plate.

<-Back