Tomato Crab Napoleon Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Cut each sheet into 4-inch squares. Each Napoleon will require 3 (4-inch) squares.
• In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the chives, lemon juice, pepper, crab, and peas, and toss to combine.
• To assemble the Napoleons, begin with 1 sheet of pasta on a plate. Spread a small spoonful of prepared mayonnaise on the pasta sheet. Top with 1/4 cup of the crab salad and gently spread the salad out to the edges of the pasta. Top with another sheet of pasta. Spread another spoonful of the prepared mayonnaise mixture on the pasta sheet. Top with another 1/4 cup of the crab salad and gently spread the salad out to the edges of the pasta sheet. Top with a final pasta sheet. Top with a small dollop of the crab salad. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of lemon zest, a pinch of chives, and a grind of black pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients; gently stir in crab., Place tomato slices on a foil-lined baking sheet; top with crab mixture. Bake until heated through, 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 12 (2-inch) circles with a cutter. Place the pastry circles onto a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Split each pastry into 2 layers, making 24 in all.
• Stir the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the milk, horseradish, black pepper and crabmeat.
• Spread the crabmeat mixture on 12 bottom pastry layers. Top with the onions, almonds and top pastry layers. Sprinkle with the paprika.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the curry powder and mustard. Beat in the vinegar, then slowly add the grape-seed oil to make a well-emulsified dressing. Set aside.
• Peel the celery root. Cut into 3 sections horizontally, making the middle section about 2 inches thick. Slice the middle section into 12 thin, large disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and reserve. Cut the other 2 sections, along with any of the celery root remaining from the middle section, into small dice.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the diced celery root and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain well and set aside.
• Pick over the crab meat to remove any stray bits of cartilage. In a bowl, mix the crab meat with the cooked, diced celery root and the tomatoes. Reserve 6 of the chives, finely chop the rest and mix them in. Beat the dressing and fold half of it into the crab-meat salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Heat the peanut oil in a wok or a skillet until very hot. Dry the reserved celery root disks on paper towels if necessary and fry the slices, turning them once, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• To assemble, place a round of celery root on each of 6 plates, top each with a portion of the crab-meat salad, then with another round of celery root. Mix the remaining dressing again and pour it around each of the napoleons. Cut the reserved chives in half and place two pieces across the top of each celery-root disk.

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to 1/16-inch thick. Transfer pastry to a parchment-lined sheet pan and trim edges. With a fork prick surface all over and chill for 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover pastry with a second piece of parchment paper and weight down with a second sheet pan. Bake pastry for 10 minutes. Remove top sheet pan and parchment and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer pastry to a cooling rack.
• Make the filling: In a heavy saucepan combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Using a knife scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the whole bean. Bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and allow to steep for one hour. Discard the bean or reserve for another use.
• Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Whisk the yolks into the cooled milk mixture and strain through a fine sieve into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake custard for 3/4 to 1 hour until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool; cover and chill for several hours or overnight. To assemble: Transfer pastry to a flat surface. Using a ruler measure out three 3 1/2 x 11-inch strips. With a serrated knife carefully cut the pastry using a gentle sawing motion. With a paring knife cut the custard into two 3 1/2 x 11-inch strips and cut each strip in half crosswise. With a long, wide offset spatula transfer a piece of custard onto a strip of pastry, covering half of it. Transfer a second piece of custard to fill the first layer. Top with a second strip of pastry, smooth side up, and repeat process. If necessary, smooth the sides of the napoleon with a knife so that they are stacked neatly.
• Using a serrated knife carefully slice the napoleon into individual serving pieces. Sift confectioner's sugar over the napoleon to form a thick coating. Heat skewers on stovetop burner until red-hot and brand the sugar with cross hatch marks.
• Recommended drink: 1993 Passito di Pantelleria, Nuova Agricoltura

Steps:

• In a hot sauté pan, sauté the crabmeat in the butter for about one minute.
• Add parsley, basil, and salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasonings; set aside.
• Place one slice of tomato on the center of a plate.
• Place sautéed crabmeat mixture on top.
• Layer another tomato slice and more crabmeat.
• Top with one more tomato slice.
• (Use 3 slices of tomato and 4 ounces of crabmeat per serving).
• Place mixed greens around the stack.