fine dining experience

Potted crab with asparagus

Deseed and finely chop the chilli, and pick the dill fronds.

Ingredients

  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • a few sprigs of fresh dill
  • 300 g fresh crabmeat, two-thirds white and one-third brown, from sustainable sources
  • 1 Sicilian lemon
  • 1 good pinch of ground mace
  • 1 good pinch of ground cayenne
  • 1 whole nutmeg , for grating
  • 225 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

Directions

  1. Deseed and finely chop the chilli, and pick the dill fronds.
  2. In a bowl, mix the crab, lemon zest and juice, mace, cayenne and a good grating of nutmeg, the chilli and a pinch of sea salt. Gently mix in 125g of the butter, ensuring there are no lumps.
  3. Spoon into a small serving bowl, smoothing the surface and pressing down with the back of a spoon. Scatter the dill over the top.
  4. Gently melt the remaining butter in a pan until it separates. Discarding the solids, spoon the clarified (liquid) butter over the crab. Cover and chill in the fridge for several hours, until set.
  5. Serve the potted crab with hot sourdough toasts, buttery asparagus and lemon wedges on the side.