Some guests who have visited the restaurant many times have said that this is at the top of the list of their favourite starter. When Mary Berry was here filming, she asked for my potted crayfish recipe. She loved the idea of using the milk solids after clarifying the butter to ensure a lovely moist dish.
This dish is all about the crab so it’s worth buying as fresh as possible. My ratio is 2 parts white crab meat to one part brown meat. You need the brown meat to give you a lovely “crabby” flavour
SERVES 4 (as a starter).
150g butter
200g white crab meat
100g brown crab meat
3 tbsp crème fraiche
1 spring tarragon – leaves picked and finely chopped
1 sprig parsley – leaves picked and finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Nutmeg for grating
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 spring of dill – leaves picked
8 Slices of Sour dough bread to serve
Start by clarifying your butter. Gently heat the butter in a pan until the fat separates from the milk solids. Pour the clear fat into a jug and keep warm and reserve the milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
In a bowl stir together the crab meat, with the milk solids, crème fraiche, tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, paprika and season to taste.
Spoon into one shallow dish for sharing or 4 individual small ramekins, leaving enough space at the top to drizzle the melted butter.
Gently pour over the melted butter so it just covers the top of the crab and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper and the dill leaves. Place in the fridge until the butter has set. They will keep for at least 48 hours.
Remove from the fridge 1 hour before serving so the butter softens and serve with warm sour dough bread.
- 150 g butter
- 100 g brown crab meat
- 200 g white crab meat
- 3 tbsp creme fraiche
- 1 sprig tarragon leaves picked and chopped
- 1 sprig parsley leaves picked and chopped
- 1 lemon zested
- pinch nutmeg
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 sprig dill leaves picked
Instructions
- Start by clarifying your butter. Gently heat the butter in a pan until the fat separates from the milk solids. Pour the clear fat into a jug and keep warm and reserve the milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
- In a bowl stir together the crab meat, with the milk solids, crème fraiche, tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, paprika and season to taste.
- Spoon into one shallow dish for sharing or 4 individual small ramekins, leaving enough space at the top to drizzle the melted butter.
- Gently pour over the melted butter so it just covers the top of the crab and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper and the dill leaves. Place in the fridge until the butter has set. They will keep for at least 48 hours.
- Remove from the fridge 1 hour before serving so the butter softens and serve with warm sour dough bread.
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