Recipes Crab Balls with Grapefruit Salad 5.0 (2,503) 1 Review The crab and grapefruit in this dish first appeared at the restaurant Spice Market tossed with cold glass noodles. Jean-Georges Vongerichten decided it was a "messy pile," but liked the flavors, so he reconfigured them into crab balls rolled in panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and sesame seeds. The side salad is a fabulous mix of tart (grapefruit), spicy (Thai chile) and sweet (ginger syrup). By Jean-Georges Vongerichten Jean-Georges Vongerichten F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Superchef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who celebrates his 40th year of cooking in 2013, reveals his most-requested dish, his go-to 100-year-old cookbook and a brilliant technique for chopping garlic. What’s your most requested recipe? This would definitely have to be the Yellowfin Tuna Ribbons, Avocado and Spicy Radish, Ginger Marinade. It has been on the menu at Jean-Georges for the past six years and each week it’s one of our top sellers. I think it’s the texture and combination of flavors that people really crave. What’s your favorite cookbook of all time?Gastronomie Pratique, by Ali-Bab. A scientist and philosopher, Henri Babinski, wrote it more than 100 years ago, and was way ahead of his time. He gives every technique from making raspberry lemonade to vinaigrettes to soufflés. He even shows you how to make oysters en gelée using natural gelatin—gelatin made from boiled pig’s feet, not gelatin leaves or agar-agar. Everything he did is so technical and precise, it’s amazing. Everyone always cites Escoffier, but Escoffier just codified a cuisine that already existed. This was something new, and much more interesting. It’s hard to find, though; I wish someone would bring it back into print. One technique everyone should know? How to chop a clove of garlic: Slice a peeled garlic clove in half lengthwise. Set the clove halves cut sides down on your chopping board, and turn your knife sharp side up. Using the blunt edge of the knife, “mince” the clove halves as you would mince them with the sharp blade: Using your finger as a guide, working your way from the tip to the root end, use the blunt edge to smash the garlic against the board. Flip the smashed clove halves over, flip your knife over and use the sharp edge to chop the clove halves finely, working in the opposite direction, from the root end to the tip. They’ll come out perfectly chopped, as if you pulverized them in a blender. To chop them that finely using only the sharp blade, you’d have to chop them a long time. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 30, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Tina Rupp Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients Crab Balls 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 pound lump or peekytoe crabmeat, picked over and lightly shredded Salt 1 cup panko 1 1/2 tablespoons mixed white and black sesame seeds 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten Vegetable oil, for frying Grapefruit Salad 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger 2 pink grapefruits 1 green Thai chile, minced 1 tablespoon soy sauce Directions In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 4 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch into the coconut milk until smooth. Add the coconut milk to the onion and cook over moderately high heat, whisking, until bubbling and thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the crabmeat and season with salt. Roll rounded tablespoons of the mixture into 20 small balls. Transfer the balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. In a large bowl, toss the panko with the sesame seeds. In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until smooth. Dip the frozen crab balls into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Dredge the crab balls in the panko mixture to coat thoroughly. Return the balls to the baking sheet and let stand at room temperature until thawed but not too soft. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice and ginger and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Strain into a small bowl. Peel the grapefruits with a sharp knife, removing all of the bitter white pith. Cut in between the membranes to release the grapefruit sections. Transfer to a fine strainer set over a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes to drain as much as possible. Transfer the grapefruit sections to a medium bowl and gently toss with 3 tablespoons of the ginger syrup and the chile. Let stand for 5 minutes. In another small bowl, mix the remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger syrup with the soy sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 300°. Set a rack over a baking sheet. Fry the crab balls, about 4 at a time, until golden brown, about 1 minute; transfer to the rack to drain while you fry the rest. Mound the grapefruit salad in shallow bowls or plates. Arrange the crab balls next to the grapefruit. Pour a puddle of soy syrup on the other side of the crab balls and serve at once. Suggested Pairing The tart-spicy-sweet combination in these crab balls pairs nicely with a white that has a touch of sweetness, like an off-dry Riesling. Some of the best come from Washington State. Rate it Print