Danielle Centoni & Kerry Newberry Make Dungeness Crab Rolls with Smoked Trout Roe & Hazelnut Dust

It’s a Pacific Northwest twist on a classic East-coast dish! Danielle Centoni and Kerry Newberry, co-authors of “Oregon Wine + Food”, joined us to share their recipe for Dungeness Crab Rolls.

Dungeness Crab Rolls with Smoked Trout Roe and Hazelnut Dust

Dungeness crab season kicks off this month and this recipe is a perfect way to highlight one of Oregon’s favorite seafoods. These Dungeness crab rolls make for a fabulous appetizer for any festive holiday gathering. They taste deluxe and are sure to impress – but they’re actually so easy to make. Besides, nothing says “party” like a bottle of bubbles, and these crab rolls make an ideal pairing for your favorite dry or rose sparker.

Serves 4
Chef: Jody Kropf, Red Hills Market

Wine pairing: Gran Moraine Brut Rosé

From: Oregon Wine + Food by Danielle Centoni and Kerry Newberry (Figure 1 Publishing)

Lobster rolls reign on the East Coast, but we take a Dungeness crab approach here in Oregon. The sweet meat is more tender than lobster, and certainly more plentiful. Even farmers’ markets offer fresh Dungeness crabmeat nearly year-round. Here, chef Jody Kropf, of Dundee’s beloved Red Hills Market, brushes the rolls with butter infused with crab shells to layer on the flavor and mixes the crabmeat with the warm heat of Calabrian chili aioli. Gran Moraine’s Brut Rosé, with its notes of wild strawberries, stone fruit, and a whisper of brioche, makes for a decadent pairing.

Garlic–Calabrian Chili Aioli:

3 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
2 cups canola oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped Calabrian chiles or chili flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Dungeness Crab Rolls

8 oz crab shells, crushed (optional)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
Pinch of saffron, crushed
4 quality hot dog buns or 8 brioche dinner rolls
1 lb lump Dungeness crabmeat (from about two 2-lb crabs)
1/2 cup roughly chopped celery hearts and leaves
1/2 cup Garlic–Calabrian Chili Aioli (see here)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped chives
3/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced shiso leaves (available at Asian markets)
2 Tbsp smoked trout roe
1 Tbsp finely crushed toasted hazelnuts
Charred lemon, sliced or cut into wedges, to serve

Garlic–Calabrian Chili Aioli: In a food processor, pulse garlic until finely chopped. Add egg yolks and pulse to combine. With the machine running, very slowly drizzle in oil to emulsify the mixture. Add lemon juice, mustard, and chiles (or chili flakes). Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the aioli seems too thick, thin it out with cold water. (Aioli will keep for 7 days refrigerated.)

Dungeness Crab Rolls: Combine crab shells (if using), butter, and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes. If using shells, strain melted butter through a strainer into a bowl. Discard shells.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Brush buns with the butter and toast cut side down until lightly browned. Set aside.

Place crabmeat in a medium bowl and pick through carefully to remove any shell fragments. Add celery, aioli, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chives, and Old Bay seasoning. Gently mix, preserving big lumps of crab for texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill toasted buns with crab mixture. If desired, warm briefly under a broiler or on a grill. Garnish with shiso leaves, trout roe, and a sprinkle of hazelnut dust. Serve with charred lemons.

Combine crab shells (if using), butter, and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes. If using shells, strain melted butter through a strainer into a bowl. Discard shells.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Brush buns with the butter and toast cut side down until lightly browned. Set aside.

Place crabmeat in a medium bowl and pick through carefully to remove any shell fragments. Add celery, aioli, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chives, and Old Bay seasoning. Gently mix, preserving big lumps of crab for texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill toasted buns with crab mixture. If desired, warm briefly under a broiler or on a grill. Garnish with shiso leaves, trout roe, and a sprinkle of hazelnut dust. Serve with charred lemons