by Chef Dennis Wong

Ingredients:
One 2 lb. Crab
1 16 oz. bottle of beer
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon scallions (white part only),
cut into 1/4 rounds
1 Heaping Tablespoon white onions,
roughly chopped
2 eggs, mixed well with crab roe
Black pepper to taste
2/3 Teaspoon sugar
Additional 2 Tablespoons beer
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Fill a large pot with 2/3 water and 1/3 beer, and bring to a boil. Turn crab over onto its back. Bend back tail flap and insert knife into breast plate. This process will kill the crab instantly. Place crab in boiling liquid. Liquid should cover crab completely. Cook for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove gill filaments, eyes and tail flaps. Separate shell from crab and save crab roe for later use. Cut crab into six pieces. Save crab shell for serving decoration.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok on high heat, add mixed crab roe and eggs. Add black pepper and saute mixture for 1 minute. Set aside.

On medium hight heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil to smoking point, then saute garlic, ginger, scallions and white onion for 1 minute, keep stirring. Add 2 tablespoons beer, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and sugar. Add crab pieces and roe mixture, cook for another 3 minutes on high heat.

Transfer sauteed crab pieces to a plate and use the reserved crab shell for presentation.

Chef's note: The beer adds flavor and aroma to the crab.

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Dennis Wong of Le Soleil was born in Sai Gon, Viet Nam and came to San Francisco in 1980. Wong learnd to cook by working in various Bay Area restaurants. In 1983, he opened his own Thai Cafe on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco. He started his second restaurant, Le Soleil, featuring authentic Vietnamese cuisine on Clement Street in 1993. Le Soleil was named "Best Vietnamese Restaurant" by Focus Magazine in 1996, and has appeared in Zagat surveys since 1999.

Le Soleil
1333 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: 415.668.4848