Chef Matt Barnes of Pierpont’s at Union Station whips up a summer recipe!
Watermelon-Crab Gazpacho
Gazpacho
- Watermelon, large chop, 6 Cups (weigh out)
- English Cucumber, peeled, roughly chopped, 2 each
- Pineapple, roughly chopped, 1 Cup (weigh out)
- Red Bell Pepper, seeded, roughly chopped, 2 each
- Fresno Chili, seeded, ½ each
- Ginger, minced, 2TBL
- Yuzu Juice, ¼ Cup
- Agave Nectar, 3TBL
- Olive Oil, 2TBL
- Sea Salt, ½ tsp
- Xantham Gum, optional
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pass thru a fine mesh strainer. Chill completely before serving, 1-2 hours.
Baked-Chilled Crab Leg
- Unsalted Butter
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh lime Juice
- Sea Salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Crab Leg, split in half lengthwise
Preheat oven to 325. Set a small sauce pan on the stove set to low heat. Add the butter, lemon juice, lime juice and sea salt. Stir constantly until butter has full melted, do not simmer. Turn off the heat and whisk in the olive oil. Lay the crab on a baking sheet cut side up. Evenly brush on the butter mixture and bake 25 minutes, give or take a few minutes depending on the size of your crab legs. Baste the crab with the juices that begin to form in the pan a few times during the baking process. When crab is cooked thru remove from the oven and chill before serving.
Pickled Watermelon Rind (optional)
- Water, 3 Cups
- Kosher Salt, 6 TBL
- Cider Vinegar 1 Cup
- Sugar, 2 Cups
- Watermelon Rind, outer peel removed, large dice, 2 full rinds
- Whole Cloves, 8 pieces
- Cinnamon Stick, ½ piece
- Fresh ginger, minced, 2 TBL
- Red Chili Flakes, pinch
Combine the water, salt, vinegar, chili flakes and sugar in a pot set to medium-high heat. While the vinegar mixture heats up, toast the remaining spices on the stove top until fragrant. Transfer the spices to the pot along with the melon rind. The moment it reaches a full rolling boil, turn off the heat. Allow the watermelon to cool in the pot at room temperature and off of the burner. Transfer to a cooler and serve once completely chilled.
Soup Garnishes
- Watermelon rind, pickled, (pickling optional)
- English Cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible, 2” long
- Chilled Crab Leg, removed from shell, cut into 2” long pieces
- Fresno chili, thinly sliced rings
- Summer Flower Petals
- Cilantro
- Basil
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Crispy Rice Paper
