Potted Crab

Potted Crab is one of the best summer dishes to be eaten on a picnic, out in the garden, taken on a walk, or at the seaside etc. and using both the white and brown crab meat with the added spices makes this a really tasty, deep flavoured (yet simple to make) dish. If you can, and have the time, get a really good quality butter, and make your own home-made bread. A nice brown bread goes really well, toasted, with this potted crab recipe spread on it. This recipe can easily be made up a day or so in advance and chilled in the fridge.

Potted Crab Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

• 400g of white crab meat
• 100g of brown crab meat
• 170g unsalted organic butter
• 1 anchovy fillet (chopped very fine)
• 2 shallots, (peeled and very finely chopped)
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/3 tsp ground mace
• 1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp sherry
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• pinch of fine sea salt
• pinch ground black pepper

Recipe Method:

In a heavy based saucepan melt 100g of the butter, (reserve 70g for sealing the pots) add in the fine chopped shallots and sweat them in the butter over a medium heat for about 7 minutes. The shallots should be softened and golden not browned. Add in the chopped anchovy, then stir in all the ground spices, salt and pepper. Once mixed add the sherry and lemon juice and cook the alcohol off for a few minutes to soften the taste and reduce the volume.

Add the white and brown crab meat with the chopped dill into the saucepan and combine well with the spiced butter. Stir this over a low heat for 3 minutes to warm the crab meat through. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Divide the crab and butter mixture into 5 small ramekins and press the mixture down with a spoon so that it is below the top of the ramekin and packed tight. Put the empty saucepan back on to a low heat and add the rest of the butter (70g) to melt. Once the butter has melted use a spoon to pour over the crab meat in the ramekins to seal them. Allow to cool. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to chill and set.

To serve take the ramekins out of the fridge about 30 minutes before needed, if taking on a picnic put in a chiller box. Toast some small slices of brown granary bread, cut them into triangles, allow to cool, and spread the potted crab over to eat.