King Crab Legs and Beef Short Ribs - need something to go with them.

[Rabrrrrrr]

I'm cranking out a multi-course bitchload of food at a Christmas dinner, and the Main Feature is to be a saute in beef fat of alaskan king crab legs (already cooked and cut up into chunks; basically just warming it up in the saute pan) served with a braised short rib.

I need something else on the plate, and I can't decide. It should be at least a veggie; maybe a veggie with a starch.

There are no starches of any kind in any of the other courses (except a bit of potato in a vichyssoise sauce). I do have veggies - radish sprouts, lettuce, green beans, scallions, onions, shallots, leeks in the other courses.

What I've thought of adding to the dish is a risotto (maybe a mushroom parmesan), or some kind of pasta, or even a puree of parsnips, or perhaps a mashed potato (with goat cheese, garlic, cream, and butter), or even sliced potatoes also sauteed in beef fat.

I want something that will both help with the sweetness of the crab, which is being meshed with the awesomeness of the beef fat it's heated up in, as well as the richness of the short rib. I'm shooting for a yin yang contrast between crab and beef, and want something else on the plate that will tie them together.

Any suggestions?

[grasswire]

1. I never heard of heating crab in beef fat

Is this an original technique with you?

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Oh, I'm sure it's been done before - but it's something I came up with.

I should add that the crab is still in the shell (the legs), but they've been chopped up into chunks a few inches long.

[Phentex]

3. I have a red dress that would be perfect with those!

What time should I be there?

----

My second thought was potatoes...the mashed not the fried since you have the beef fat already.

[Tesha]

4. wow!

that sounds amazing!

lets see - rich food... looking for a balance how about
Chopped Spinach with Toasted Sesame Seeds

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chopped-Spinach-with-Toasted-Sesame-Seeds-106852

[catnhatnh]

5. Roasted root veggies...

...Parsnips, carrots, and turnips. I mean the veggie HAS to make a statement on a plate that strong, so wimpy flavors are out. Also root veggies are a virtual homage to the winter season. If needed they could be mildly candied and spiced...

[EFerrari]

10. Fresh yam. We had some at TG and wow, it's nothing like canned stuff.

[Tab]

6. beurre marnier or roumelade sauce

[Tab]

7. An idea, but...

first, don't you think the beef fat will overwhelm the crab taste? Those are two strong flavors competing.... I'd like to know how it turns out but I wouldn't myself mix them at least without testing them first.

What could/would I consider pairing? Just off the top of my head:

- An intense lemon curry soup.
- Cheese croutons (take cheese scrapings, coat with flour (maybe pepper too), mix with butter, bake on a cookie sheet - they should come out like little cheesy crackers.

I like the curry myself - it will add an interesting.

Of course, you could serve duck as well (but that's a different thread).

- Tab

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Actually, the fat didn't overwhelm it - it complemented the crab quite nicely.

The crab was still in the shell, though - if I did that with crab chunks, then yeah, the beef fat would, I think, overwhelm the taste.

But as it worked, the fat clung to the shell (and the bits of exposed meat) just enough to give the aroma (and therefore the taste) o the beef, and added a nice enhancement to the sweetness of the crab.

I sauteed the leg pieces in the beef fat for maybe two minutes, then poured in a bit of Mirin and used that to help steam it to heat up throughout for another minute or two. The Mirin also helped to settle down the intensity of the beef fat by teaming up with the crab.

It really was quite delicious - the crab ended up with an extra, subtle layer of flavor that made it all that much more ba-zing.

[fishnfla]

9. spaghetti squash

ya