Currently on the menu across the Adam Handling Group's five sites, which are in London, Windsor and Cornwall, the firm sells around 300 crab cocktails per month.
The chef and restaurateur detailed each component of the dish should be stored separately in the fridge and would last between 2 and 3 days maximum.
In addition, Handling advised the plate goes perfectly with chunky chips and any crisp white wine.
As a twist on the serve, if you don't have crème fraîche to hand, the chef advised operators could opt to use mascarpone or full-fat Greek yoghurt instead.
Handling said: "This dish is inspired by a crab cocktail but with yellow curry replacing the classic Marie Rose sauce, finished with salted cucumbers and sea herbs for extra freshness. We source our Cornish crab from the stunning sea in St. Ives, where our sister restaurant and bar Ugly Butterfly lives.
"Guests love the locality of the crab and the light, zesty, fresh flavours complementing each other – things always taste better when made with ingredients from just around the corner."
Yellow curry dressing ingredients (makes one):
- 10 red chillies
- 450g shallots, chopped
- 300g garlic, minced
- 150g ginger
- 50g kaffir lime leaf
- 50g fresh turmeric
- 25g coriander seeds
- 25g cumin seeds
- 15g black peppercorns
- 2.5lt coconut milk
- 40ml fish sauce
- 100g palm sugar
- 30ml vegetable oil
Method:
- Blend the vegetables and spices in a robot coupe to make a paste
- Fry in vegetable oil and add the coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar
- Cook on a low heat until properly infused
- Pass and chill
Crab dressing ingredients:
- 500g cold yellow curry dressing
- 100g crème fraîche
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- Salt to taste
- White crab meat
Method:
- Steam the crabs for 13 minutes and then chill
- Pick all the white meat and keep over ice. Pick this three times. The last time, get it picked by someone else. If shell is found on the last time, then it gets picked again by yourself and then again by someone else. This process must be repeated until no shell is found.
- Keep the shells to add to the shellfish sauce
- Dress the white crab meat with the yellow curry dressing
- Grate two large cucumbers, sprinkle with 2% salt and leave to salt in a colander for 10 minutes
- Lightly rinse the cucumber in cold water, then place in a clean towel and squeeze all the moisture out
- Place in a container until ready to dress the crab
Garnish ingredients:
- Lettuce
- Flowers
- Chive oil
- Sliced spring onion
- Sea herbs
To serve:
- Spoon 20g of the crab, 10g cucumber, 5g spring onion and some shredded leaves into a bowl and season with salt
- Pour in 50ml of the dressing into the crab head
- Add the mixture into the crab head and pile high
- Garnish with herbs and flowers then finish with chive oil and serve
See the previous Dish Deconstructed here.
To take part in the Morning Advertiser's Dish Deconstructed series please contact rebecca.weller@wrbm.com.
