Galette de Crabe le Bec-Fin
from http://www.philadelphiarestaurants.com/

A longtime favorite at Le Bec-Fin, Galette de Crabe is a wow-'em dish ideal for a sophisticated soirée or a kick-back chill-out night at home. The dish works either as a superb hors d'oeuvre or a tasty light main dish. Le Bec Fin's classic French rendition shown here unaltered from the one used in the restaurant has maximum oomph in warm-weather seasons. Garden salads and cheeses served with any smooth white wine serve as smart accompaniments for this versatile dish. Freshness of ingredients is paramount. To earn his or her kudos, the toque-wearer must seek and use fresh shrimp, crabmeat, endives, and haricots verts.

"This Galette de Crabe is a signature dish at my restaurant. I’m extremely particular about the crabmeat I buy. I use only the best jumbo lump crabmeat with plenty of the orange roe that gives the crab its flavor. I’ve made this recipe over and over so I know you’ll have perfect results. Serve the galette with a light mustard sauce or accompanied by a simple wedge of lemon and a small green salad. At Le Bec-Fin we often garnish the galette with lightly blanched haricots verts arranged in a spoke pattern." —Georges Perrier

14 oz. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 bunch scallions, sliced into thin rings
3 Tbsp. butter
2 whole eggs, cold
2 C. heavy cream, icy cold
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Tabasco
1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked clean
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sauce (recipe below)
Endive and Haricots Verts (recipe below)

Chill the shrimp along with the bowl and blade of a food processor in freezer for about 30 minutes. Sauté the scallions in 1 tablespoon butter until just wilted. Set aside to cool.

Place the shrimp in the processor and puree on high speed for 1 minute or until smooth and shiny. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs. Process again until the mixture is smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl again. With the machine running, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Scrape the bowl and process again to make sure the cream is completely incorporated. Remove the mixture and place in a bowl. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, then gently fold in the cooled scallions and the crabmeat.

Place four or five 3- inch oiled ring molds into a lightly oiled nonstick pan. Fill each mold with the mixture, smoothing off the tops with a spoon. Over medium heat, cook the crab cakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Once the cakes have browned, push down on the ring molds to cut off any excess crab mixture and remove the rings from around the cakes. Remove the crab cakes from the pan. Repeat the procedure until all of the crab mixture has been cooked. (The cakes may be made up to 1 day ahead, up to this point, and refrigerated.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the crab cakes on a buttered nonstick baking pan. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cakes are springy to the touch.

In a small pot, slowly heat the sauce over low heat without letting it boil. Place a small mound of the endive in the center of each serving plate. Top with 1 or 2 crab cakes then ladle the sauce over the crab cakes and serve immediately.

Serves 8 - 10

The Sauce
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 C. Fond Blanc de Volaille (see recipe below)
1 1/2 C. olive oil
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste

Place the egg yolk, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Fond Blanc de Volaille into a blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce is emulsified (creamy looking). Add the whole- grain mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The Endive and Haricots Verts
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 Belgian endive heads, chopped into 1 inch. lengths
1 tsp. sugar
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. haricots verts, trimmed and blanched (optional)

In a small sauté pan, heat the butter and the lemon juice. Add the cut endive and the sugar and toss together. Cook over medium heat until the endive is wilted but not soft and the pan juice have been absorbed. Season to taste and set aside.

The Fond Blanc de Volailles (White Chicken Stock)
(Makes 4 quarts)
15 pounds chicken bones (backs, necks, wings, drumsticks)
2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 Bouquet garni (2 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Place all the ingredients in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 4 hours, skimming off any foamy impurities. Strain through a sieve, then chill the pot in a sink filled with ice and water. Refrigerate overnight, then remove and discard the solidified fat on top. This will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.