Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Vanilla oil:
• 2 vanilla pods, scraped
1½ ounces grapeseed oil

Marinated melon:
• 1 cantaloupe, sliced very thin
• ½ bottle sweet wine
• 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• Salt, to taste

Dressing:
• ½ pineapple
• Champagne vinegar, to taste
• Grapeseed oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:
• 8 ounces shelled crabmeat
• 1 Tablespoon tarragon, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chervil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

For vanilla oil:
Combine vanilla seeds and oil in small saucepan. Heat to 250°F. Infuse 10 days prior to use.

For marinated melon:
Cut cantaloupe slices with a round 1½-inch diameter cutter. Combine wine, peppercorns, star anise and salt. Marinate cantaloupe in spice mixture 24 hours. Place 2½-inch by 2½ inch molds onto 4 serving plates. Line molds with melon.

For crab salad:
Mix all ingredients and place into molds lined with marinated melon.

For dressing:
Juice pineapple. In a small saucepan over medium heat, reduce juice by half. Cool. To make dressing, add vinegar and oil to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve:
Lift molds from plates. Drizzle crab salad with dressing and finish plates with vanilla oil.

Wine Pairing:
A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc like the 2003 Seresin Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough.