Alaskan King Crab Summer Rolls

Alaskan King Crab Summer Rolls
Gourmet October 2009
Adapted from Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City
Makes 8 (first course or snack) servings

At the Citymeals-on- Wheels event, our food editors were astonished by the variety of flavors layered in these summer rolls. Within the confines of each wrapper, chef Alfred Portale combined sweet crabmeat, crunchy tobiko (flying-fish roe), and creamy avocado, then finished it with a citrusy yuzu sauce.

1 (2-inch-long) piece daikon radish
1 medium carrot
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 (2-inch-long) piece seedless cucumber
1/2 fresh jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
1/2 ripe medium avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce tobiko (flying-fish roe)
1/4 cup bottled yuzu juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chile oil, or to taste
8 (8-inch) round rice-paper wrappers
1 pound crabmeat (from about 3 Alaskan king crab legs), picked over and coarsely flaked
1 scallion, thinly sliced diagonally
8 cilantro sprigs plus 16 leaves

Peel daikon and cut into julienne (thin matchsticks) . Transfer to a small bowl.
Cut carrot into 2-inch lengths, then cut into julienne. Add to daikon and toss with lime juice, sesame oil, and salt to taste. Cut cucumber into julienne.

Purée jalapeño and avocado with vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender, then transfer to a bowl and stir in mayonnaise and tobiko.
Stir together yuzu juice, soy sauce, and chile oil in a small bowl.

Soak 2 rice-paper wrappers in a 13-by 9-inch baking dish of warm water until pliable, about 5 seconds. Put 1 soaked wrapper on a damp kitchen towel (not terry cloth), then place other wrapper below the first (closer to you), overlapping them halfway. Put one fourth of crabmeat across lower third of wrapper (nearest you), leaving a 2-inch border at bottom. Spread with 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado mixture and top with one fourth each of carrot mixture, cucumber, and sliced scallion. Fold bottom of wrapper over filling and roll up tightly, putting 2 cilantro sprigs on wrapper halfway through. Make 3 more rolls in same manner (you will have avocado mixture left over).

Trim ends and cut each roll into 4 pieces. Divide among 8 shallow bowls, standing them up, and top each with a dollop of avocado mixture and a cilantro leaf. Drizzle yuzu sauce around rolls.

Cooks' note: Some bottles of yuzu juice contain salt. If so, use less soy sauce (to taste).