These guys are a bit of work but are so worth it as they’re really tasty and make a perfect starter or canapé. You could also use ham in place of the crab. The saffron mayonnaise is easy to make and if you have any left over it will keep sealed in the fridge for a couple of days.
MAKES ABOUT 16 B A L L S , TO S E RV E 4
110ml water 75g butter 110g plain flour, plus more for dusting 3 eggs 100g Gruyère cheese, grated 2 tablespoons brown crabmeat 200g white crabmeat, well picked over Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons chopped chives 1 tablespoon chopped capers Vegetable oil, for deep-frying Salt For the saffron mayonnaise 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, grated Generous pinch of saffron threads 2 tablespoons pastis (anise-flavoured liqueur) 2 tablespoons water 2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 300ml vegetable oil Lemon juice, to taste Cayenne pepper, to taste
32 starters
Crab fritters with saffron mayonnaise First make the saffron mayonnaise. Warm the olive oil in a small pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and saffron. Cook very gently for 1–2 minutes then add the pastis and water and let the saffron steep in the liquid for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
.....
Place the egg yolks in a food processor with the mustard and vinegar. Add the infused saffron water and blend together. With the motor running, add the vegetable oil very slowly until it thickens and emulsifies. Season with lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper, to taste. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with cling film. Refrigerate until needed.
.....
To make the crab fritters, pour the water into a medium-sized saucepan with the butter and heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the flour. Mix well until fully incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time, using a wooden spoon. Alternatively, you can transfer the dough to a stand mixer. Beat on a slow speed to combine the ingredients, then increase it to medium and beat until smooth and cooled a little.
.....
Beat in the Gruyère and brown crabmeat. Fold in the white crabmeat, lemon zest, chives, capers and a pinch of salt. Leave to go cold. When cold, with lightly floured hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place on a lightly floured tray – you should have about 16.
.....
Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or saucepan to 180°C and lower the balls in gently. Be careful not to crowd the pan – you may need to fry them in batches. Make sure you let the oil come back up to temperature before adding a new batch. Cook until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the fryer, drain on kitchen paper and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Serve immediately with the saffron mayonnaise.
Tom Kerridge’s
CHARGRILLED RIB-EYE STEAKS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE 134
I just love the honesty of a simple grilled steak, served with a no-fuss Argentinian chimichurri sauce. The success of this dish lies in the quality of the meat so be sure to get a really good rib-eye steak from your butcher and don’t forget to let the meat rest after grilling. Serve with chunky chips or a watercress and tomato salad.
SERVES 4 4 x thick rib-eye steaks (about 250g each) 250ml olive oil 2–3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1 green chilli, trimmed and finely sliced sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 quantity of Chunky Chips (see page 228), to serve For the chimichurri sauce 125g shallots (about 6), peeled and finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste ½ tablespoon wasabi paste, or to taste a pinch of caster sugar, to taste 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped 60g flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped small bunch of chives, finely chopped small handful of thyme, leaves stripped
Put the steaks into a wide, non-metallic bowl, and marinate with the olive oil, garlic and chilli. Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before cooking so that they can come to room temperature. Make the chimichurri sauce shortly before serving as the herbs will discolour with time. Place the shallot in a sieve and rinse with cold, running water (this will help to remove the harsh flavour). Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Transfer to a bowl and mix with all the remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat a charcoal grill, or if cooking indoors, heat a griddle pan until hot. Scrape off the excess oil, garlic and chilli from the steaks and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the steaks for 2–3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until browned and medium-rare (they will continue cooking as they rest). If your griddle pan is not wide enough, cook the steaks in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Leave the steaks to rest in a warm place for 8–10 minutes. Slice the steaks on the diagonal and serve on warm plates with the chimichurri sauce and chips.
SOCIAL SUPPERS
135
MAIN COURSES
Chocolate and avocado mousse with honeyed strawberries Raw and dairy-free, this is one of the richest, glossiest, chocolatiest mousses you’ll ever taste. Lightly macerated strawberries are wonderful with it. Cherries, raspberries, peaches or apricots are also great companions. Serves 4 2 very ripe, large avocados 3 tablespoons cocoa powder A good squeeze of lime juice, or more to taste 3–5 tablespoons runny honey (or use agave syrup)
FOR THE HONEYED STRAWBERRIES 200g strawberries, halved or thickly sliced 1 tablespoon runny honey A good squeeze of lemon or lime juice
Combine the strawberries with the honey and lemon or lime juice. (Don’t worry if the honey doesn’t seem to combine too easily at first.) Cover and leave for 20–30 minutes then, once the juices are starting to seep out of the berries, stir again and set aside until ready to serve. Meanwhile, to make the mousse, halve the avocados, remove the stones and peel, then put the flesh into a food processor. Add the cocoa powder, a good squeeze of lime juice and 3 tablespoons honey. Process to a velvety, thick purée, then taste and add more honey or lime juice as you like. Scoop the mousse into small serving dishes, cover and chill for an hour or so. Serve with the honeyed strawberries and their juices spooned on top.
treats
363