Crab Cake Sauce

[ironchef]

Here's a sauce that you can use not only with crab cakes, but with fish, chicken, or pork as well.

Roasted Poblano and Basil Butter Sauce

Yield: approx 1 cup

Ingredients:

2 fresh, medium sized Poblano Chilis
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes and kept cold
3 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
1/2 c. Dry white wine
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 c. Heavy Cream
8-10 leaves of Fresh Basil (if you don't have basil, you can substitute 2 Tbsp. fresh dill or thyme)
Kosher Salt to taste

Method:

Rub chilis with the olive oil, and roast either in a 350 F degree oven, or over an open flame until the skin is charred on all sides. Cover in a bowl with plastic wrap for 5-10 minutes, then remove charred skin, stems, and seeds. Be careful as peppers will be very hot. Pat the peppers dry with a paper towel or cloth, and reserve.

Meanwhile, saute the shallots in the 3 Tbsp. butter until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine and lemon juice, and reduce until the liquid is almost gone, or until about 1/2-1 Tbsp. remains. Add the cream, and reduce by 1/2. Transfer to a blender or food processor and add the poblano chilis, and blend/pulse until chilis are broken up. Slowly add in the butter cubes and blend, until the sauce is emulsified. Add the basil and blend/pulse until basil leaves are broken up. Season to taste with kosher salt, and serve immediately, or keep warm until service.