Lemon Grass Crab Fennel Salad Food

CRAB AND FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Finely grind fennel seeds in grinder, then whisk together with salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.
• Shave fennel bulb with slicer crosswise into paper-thin slices until you have enough to measure 1 packed cup. (Halve bulb lengthwise if too large for slicer.) Toss with 2 teaspoons vinaigrette in another small bowl.
• Toss crabmeat with chives and 1 tablespoon vinaigrette in a third small bowl.
• Put each metal ring in center of a salad plate. Divide crab mixture between them, pressing down on it lightly with your fingertips.
• Toss lettuces with fennel mixture and divide between rings, pressing slightly without flattening tops.
• Drizzle remaining vinaigrette and remaining tablespoon oil around plates. Remove rings before serving.

CHILLI CRAB WITH SHAVED FENNEL & PARSLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Trim the stalk away from the fennel and pull away the first layer of each bulb if it's looking tired or bruised. Slice the fennel into rounds as thinly as possible using a sharp knife or, better still, on a mandolin if you have one. Tip the fennel into a bowl and season with a pinch of sea salt. Squeeze over half the lemon juice and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then set aside to marinate briefly.
• Tip the crabmeat into another bowl, season lightly, then add the rest of the lemon juice and olive oil, and half the chilli, and mix well. The crab and fennel can be prepared up to 2 hrs ahead and kept in the fridge, but bring the fennel out again 20 mins before serving.
• Mix the parsley and the rest of the chilli with the fennel. Divide between six plates, then top each one with a large spoonful of crabmeat in the middle. Scatter over the fennel fronds, lemon zest and a trickle of olive oil, then serve.

DUNGENESS CRAB AND FENNEL SALAD WITH CREAMY LIME DRESSING

Steps:

• Halve fennel lengthwise (or quarter if large) and discard core, then shave fennel lengthwise as thinly as possible using slicer. Soak sliced fennel in a bowl of ice and cold water until it is crisp, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Blend all dressing ingredients, except oils, with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender at high speed until combined. With blender still on high, add oils in a slow stream thourough top hole, blending until emulsified. Season with salt and white pepper.
• Drain fennel and pat dry, then toss with crabmeat and dressing. Divide spinach among 4 plates and top with crab salad.

EGGS "BENEDICT" WITH QUAIL EGGS AND SPICED BISCUITS WITH LEMONGRASS-CRAB-FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• For the quail eggs: In a 2 quart sauce pan filled 2/3 of water add vinegar and bring to a boil. On a simmer, open eggs into the water and try to gather the whites around the yolks. Cook only briefly, 1-2 minutes, should keep the eggs runny. For the spiced biscuits: In a food processor, combine all dry ingredients, thyme and zest. Add chilled butter and pulse to small pieces. Add egg/milk mixture and incorporate. Do not over mix. Remove form processor and roll out on a floured surface. Using a 2-inch round pastry cutter, make circles and bake on parchment paper at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. A tester should come out cleanly. Makes 12 biscuits, 2 per serving.
• For the salad: In a small saute pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute lemongrass and scallion whites until soft, about 4 minutes. Season and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together juice, coriander, scallion greens and remaining oil. Add lemongrass and check for seasoning. In another bowl, mix crab and fennel. Add 2/3 of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Check for seasoning.
• PLATING Cut the biscuits in half. Lay a little salad down to prevent sliding and place the bottom half on the salad. Top with small mound of salad the top with egg. Drizzle on vinaigrette and rest top of biscuit against the mound.

EGGS 'BENEDICT' WITH QUAIL EGGS AND SPICED BISCUITS LEMONGRASS-CRAB-FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a 2 quart sauce pan 2/3 to the top with water. Add vinegar and bring to a simmer. Open eggs into the water and try to gather the whites around the yolks. Cook briefly for 1 to 2 minutes to keep the eggs runny.
• In a food processor, combine all dry ingredients, thyme and zest. Add chilled butter and pulse to small pieces. Add egg/milk mixture and incorporate. Do not over mix. Remove from processor and roll out on a floured surface. Using a 2-inch round pastry cutter, make circles and bake on parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• In a small saute pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute lemongrass and scallion whites until soft, about 4 minutes. Season and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together juice, coriander, scallion greens and remaining oil. Add lemongrass and check for seasoning. In another bowl, mix crab and fennel. Add 2/3 of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Check for seasoning.
• PLATING: Cut the biscuits in half. Lay a little salad down to prevent sliding and place the bottom half of the biscuit on the salad. Top biscuit with a small mound of salad and a poached egg. Drizzle on vinaigrette and rest top half of biscuit against the mound.

CRAB AND FENNEL WONTONS

Steps:

• Make sure crab is carefully picked over to remove any shells. In a large bowl mix diced fennel, honey, juice of one lime, chives, hot pepper sauce and olive oil. Let sit for 10 minutes then add crab. Check for seasoning. Spoon a small amount of filling on each wonton and brush edges with egg wash. Fold wontons in half into triangles. Fold back the 2 corners like a tortellini. Heat oil in a fryer to 350 degrees and fry wontons until golden brown. Serve on fresh shaved fennel tossed in lime juice and garnish with mango puree.
• In a blender, puree mango, juice and sambal. Slowly add oil and check for seasoning.

CRAB AND LEMON BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• For the toasts: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle both sides of the bread with the oil. Season with salt and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 1 minute, and then rub the toasts with the cut side of the garlic.
• For the crab: In a small bowl, gently combine the crab, lemon juice, chives, and salt.
• For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• Divide the crabmeat evenly and place on top of the toasts. Dollop with about 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture and serve immediately.

FENNEL, ROAST LEMON & TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Slice 1 lemon into thin rounds and spread out on the baking tray, drizzle over 1/2 tbsp oil and sprinkle over the sugar. Roast for 20-25 mins until shrivelled and caramelised in places. Keep an eye on them - you may have to take some out the oven before the others are done. These can be made in the morning and kept at room temperature.
• While the lemons are cooking, roughly chop the tomatoes and thinly slice the fennel, saving the fronds. Put in a bowl with the remaining olive oil, juice from the other lemon and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste, then give everything a good mix.
• When you're ready to serve, roughly chop all the herbs and mix them into the salad along with the roasted lemons and fennel fronds.

FENNEL, LEMON & MINT SALAD

Steps:

• Quarter the fennel bulbs and cut out the cores. Finely shred the fennel by hand or on a mandolin. Finely slice the red onion and mix with the lemon juice to soften the flavour. Quarter the preserved lemons, then scoop out and discard the flesh. Finely chop the peel and add to the fennel.
• Mix the mint leaves into the fennel and lemon. Add the onion, olive oil and some seasoning, and toss well to mix.

FENNEL & SEAFOOD LINGUINE

Steps:

• Mix any brown crabmeat with the crème fraîche and cayenne pepper, and set aside. Pull away any tough outer leaves from the fennel bulb (you can keep these to use for stock). Trim the base, and remove the stem (again, reserve these for making stock, if you like). Finely chop the fronds and set aside. Slice the bulb in half along the core, then lay the pieces, cut-side down, on a chopping board. Cut each half into thick slices, then rotate by 90 degrees and chop.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat, add the fennel, shallot, chilli, garlic and a good pinch of sea salt and cook for 8-10 mins, or until the fennel and shallot are have softened. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more until they start to break down. Tip in the vermouth or white wine, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by about half, then remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling salted water, following pack instructions, until just al dente. Reheat the fennel sauce over a medium heat and transfer the pasta directly from its water to the sauce using tongs. Add a good ladleful of the pasta cooking water to loosen the mix, then spoon in the white crabmeat. Stir everything together well to agitate the mixture and emulsify the sauce. Add the crab and crème fraîche mixture, and stir for a few minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Stir in the chopped herbs and taste for seasoning - the sauce should be thick, silky and not too runny, so continue to cook until it's the right thickness, if needed. Season with a little lemon juice, then divide between warmed bowls.