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NEAL FRASER
Grace | Los Angeles, CA
As an avid cyclist, Neal Fraser’s high
school yearbook quote reads “Tour de France or bust!”
Though Fraser is no Lance Armstrong, he has certainly kept a fast
pace ahead of the rest in the kitchen. Since the age of 20, when
Fraser realized his true calling was to be a chef, he headed to
the Culinary Institute of America and then landed stints working
with culinary greats such as Wolfgang Puck and Joachim Splichal.
Years later, inspired to open up his own restaurant, Fraser opened
up Grace. Named after his daughter, Fraser’s American bistro
uses only the freshest and best quality ingredients. This former
cyclist turned executive chef knows what it takes to stay on top
of his game.
Dungeness Crab Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Chef Neal Fraser of Grace – Los Angeles, CA
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Meyer lemon syrup
- 1 cup Meyer lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
Lemon vinaigrette
- 2 Meyer lemons, squeezed and juiced
- 4 ounces grape seed oil
- 4 ounces lemon syrup
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Basil oil
- 3 ounces fresh basil
- 3 ounces grape seed oil
- Pinch of salt
Crab salad
- 2 ounces frozen green peas, thawed to room temperature
- ¼ ounce mint, julienned
- ¼ ounce Thai basil, julienned
- 8 ounces Dungeness crab meat
- Lemon vinaigrette
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Medium ring mold to form crab salad
- 1 ounce mixed microgreens
Method: For the Meyer lemon syrup:
Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Reduce lemon
juice and sugar by half, or until it has reached a sauce-like consistency.
Reserve for vinaigrette.
For lemon vinaigrette:
Combine 4 ounces of Meyer lemon syrup and 4 ounces of grape seed
oil with the lemon juice. Add the rice wine vinegar to taste and
balance with more oil if necessary.
Chef’s note: Because the acidity of the lemons
will vary along with the vinegar, you will need to balance by tasting.
For basil oil:
Blanch basil in boiling salted water for 20 seconds and then remove
and shock in ice water. Wring out the water. In a blender, combine
basil and grape seed oil and a pinch of salt. Put puree in a stainless
steel saucepot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow the
puree to steep. Strain through a cheesecloth. Reserve.
For crab salad:
Combine first 4 ingredients and lightly toss with vinaigrette. Season
with salt and pepper to taste. Place ring mold onto serving bowl.
Pack crab mixture down into the ring mold, then gently remove the
ring. Sprinkle top with microgreens and garnish bowl with more of
the vinaigrette and basil oil.
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