CookEat Recipe
Crabs Manhattan
Crab-meat flakes in a rich tomato, demi-glace, sherry and herb sauce, served in cleaned shells.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Preheat a conventional oven to 400°F. Put the ten quarts cold water in a very large stockpot with ample headroom and begin heating. Have a butcher clean and cut the two fresh raw white calf feet into small pieces. Put them in a roasting pan with the half pound raw ham cut into pieces, one pound veal bones, two carrots, two onions and two leeks, all sliced, the three branches parsley root and one celery branch, sliced. Add the ten cloves, four bay leaves, twenty whole allspice berries, two tablespoons whole black peppercorns, one teaspoon thyme and one and a half tablespoons salt. Spread about four tablespoons rendered pork lard over the vegetables and roast until the bones, meat and vegetables are golden, without burning.
Step 2
Transfer the complete roasted mixture to the stockpot and add the one pint canned tomatoes. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for thirty minutes. Cover, lower the heat and keep at a gentle simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Before proceeding, check that the meat on the feet and the ham have each reached at least 70°C for two minutes, probing away from bone.
Step 3
In a second very large saucepan, heat the three ounces butter, stir in the six tablespoons flour and cook for twenty minutes, stirring regularly, until the roux is thoroughly brown. Carefully pour the hot stock mixture into the roux, mixing well. Keep at a very gentle simmer for twelve hours, stirring regularly and adjusting the heat to prevent catching.
Step 4
Mix in the half pint sherry, then strain through a clean fine conical strainer into clean heat-safe containers, removing all bones and aromatics. Measure two gills of the actual finished demi-glace for this sauce. Loosen that measured portion with a little hot ready-to-use unsalted veal broth until somewhat fluid, and keep all of it hot for immediate use. Rapidly cool the remaining demi-glace in shallow containers and refrigerate at 40°F or below within two hours; use within forty-eight hours or freeze.
Step 5
For the tomato sauce, dice the four ounces lean raw ham, slice two carrots and two onions, and chop one leek, two parsley branches, one celery branch, one green pepper and one garlic clove. Melt two ounces butter in a large saucepan. Add the ham and these vegetables with two cloves, one teaspoon whole peppercorns, half a bay-leaf sprig, half a thyme sprig, one tablespoon salt and one light tablespoon icing sugar. Cook over brisk heat for about twelve minutes, stirring, until lightly browned.
Step 6
Stir the four tablespoons flour into the sauce pan and cook for five minutes. Add the two quarts fresh ripe red tomatoes cut into quarters and one quart cold water. Mix, cover and simmer very gently for one and a half hours, stirring occasionally. The diced ham must be thoroughly cooked; check that its centre reaches 70°C for two minutes.
Step 7
Press the sauce through a sieve and then strain through clean food-safe cheesecloth. Measure the actual finished sauce portion needed below and keep it hot for immediate use. Divide the unused sauce into small shallow containers, cool rapidly and refrigerate at 40°F or colder within two hours; freeze for longer storage.
Step 8
Finely chop the six shallots, separate half green pepper, red outer part from the separate one small carrot, remaining half garlic clove, separate two parsley branches, one chervil branch and four chive branches. Heat the separate half ounce butter in a frying pan, add these aromatics and fry gently for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 9
Add the separate half gill sherry, one tablespoon brandy, one and a half actual gills of the finished tomato sauce and all the loosened two-gill demi-glace portion. Mix and reduce over brisk heat for ten minutes.
Step 10
Check the one and a half pounds freshly opened, chilled, fully cooked ready-to-eat crab flakes for shell and cartilage. Add with the separate half teaspoon salt, one saltspoon cayenne and half a saltspoon ground thyme. Mix gently and cook for about ten minutes, until hot throughout to 74°C.
Step 11
Divide the complete hot mixture among six well-cleaned food-safe cooked crab shells used as serving dishes. Arrange on a warm dish lined with a clean food-safe folded napkin, decorate with a little additional washed fresh parsley and serve promptly.
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