Potted Crab With Meyer Lemon Food

LEMON POTTED CRAB

Steps:

• Combine crab, cayenne, lemon juice and zest, and season well. Pack into 8 small or 1 large ramekin. Melt the butter, then pour over until the crab is covered with a thin film. Top with a parsley leaf if you like, then cool in the fridge. (It will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.) To prevent the butter melting, transport to your picnic in a chiller bag.

POTTED CRAB

Steps:

• Clarify butter: Melt 1 cup butter in a small, deep saucepan over low heat. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Using a spoon, skim foam from surface. Carefully pour clarified butter (the clear liquid) into a medium saucepan; discard milk solids from bottom of small pan.
• Set clarified butter over medium heat. Gently stir in crabmeat. Heat until just bubbling. Remove from heat. Gently stir in brandy, chile, salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. Divide crab mixture among three 1-cup jars. Let cool completely.
• Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Let cool completely. Pour over crab mixture in jars. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Serve with melba toast.

POTTED CRAB

Steps:

• Tip the crabmeat into a bowl and mix with the mayonnaise, shallot, chives, orange zest and some seasoning. Spoon the mixture into a shallow serving dish. Smooth the top over, then pop in the fridge to chill.
• Gently melt the butter and smoked paprika together. Leave the butter to cool a little, but don't let it solidify. Carefully pour the clear butter fat over the crab, leaving the milky butter residue still in the saucepan. Return to the fridge for 20-25 mins or up to a day to firm the butter up. Serve with some grilled sourdough for spreading everything over.

SPICED POTTED CRAB

Steps:

• Tip the crab into a bowl and check for any pieces of shell. Melt 100g of the butter and add half the chilli, the lemon juice, nutmeg and salt. Add to the crab and mix well. Pack into a bowl or jar, pressing down lightly.
• Melt the remaining butter. When it is foaming, remove from the heat. When the foam has died down, carefully skim off any scum that is on the surface with a teaspoon, then pour the clear butter over the crab, leaving behind any milky sediment. Scatter over the remaining chilli and put a bay leaf in the centre.
• Leave to set in the fridge for about 1 hr. Serve on a board with the prawns and radishes, with toasted rustic bread.

CRAB FRITTERS WITH HERB SALAD AND MEYER LEMON AïOLI

Steps:

• For aioli:
• Place mayonnaise in small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon peel, mustard, and vinegar. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• For fritters and salad:
• Whisk egg yolks and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend. Combine crabmeat, chives, shallot, and chopped parsley in medium bowl. Gently mix in mushrooms and yolk mixture. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover crab mixture and chill.)
• Beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry; fold into crab mixture. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. For each fritter, drop 1/4 of crab mixture (about 1/2 cup) into skillet, spacing mounds apart. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper and flatten slightly. Cook fritters until bottoms are brown, about 3 minutes. Turn fritters over. Cook until bottoms are brown and fritters are cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Meanwhile, whisk oil and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in herbs.
• Transfer fritters to plates. Top each fritter with dollop of aioli. Place herb salad alongside and serve.