Seasonal Recipe of the Week – Cornish crab "Dragon Roll" with sour apple and radish, by Jeremy Brown
Ingredients
(Makes 12 portions)
For the court bouillon 2 medium carrots
The white of 1 leek
½ stick celery
½ fennel bulb
4 shallots
2tbs white wine vinegar
325ml white wine
1 litre water
25g coarse salt
1 garlic clove
1tsp peppercorns
For the sour apple purée 1kg cooking apples
½ bottle white wine
3 limes (zested and juiced)
For the lobster roe oil 2tbs fresh lobster roe (still in sac)
60ml peanut oil
For the avocado roulade with crab and coriander 700g white crab meat, cooked in the court bouillon
10 Hass avocados (five peeled and diced, five whole)
5 Granny Smith apples (peeled and diced)
1tbs chopped tarragon
1tbs mayonnaise
1tbs crème fraîche
1tbs Greek yogurt
2 limes (juice and zest)
20ml lemon oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Olive oil
For the breakfast radishes 2 bunches breakfast radishes
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt
To garnish Coriander cress
Method
For the court bouillon Prepare and cut all the vegetables as for a mirepoix and cut the garlic clove in half. Combine all the ingredients except the peppercorns in a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, then add the peppercorns. Cook for a further 15 minutes then strain. Discard the vegetables.
For the sour apple purée Peel, core and quarter the apples. Combine the zest and juice of the limes with the wine. Add the apples and poach in a water bath at 68°C until tender. Then drain the apple mixture and purée in a food processor.
For the lobster roe oil Blanch the fresh sacs in simmering water for one minute until soft and red. Refresh in iced water; when cold, remove and pat dry.
Open the roe sacs and rub through a large strainer. Place the roe in a small bowl and cover with the peanut oil. Refrigerate.
For the crab mix Combine the crab meat with the diced avocado, apple and tarragon.
In a separate bowl mix together the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, Greek yogurt, lime juice and zest.
Fold the mayo mix into the crab meat with a plastic spatula. Season with salt and cayenne pepper.
For the avocado roll Peel and halve five avocados and remove the stones. On a mandolin, slice the avocados 2mm thick. Cut a medium-sized vacuum pack bag in half and place the avocado inside, overlapping the slices. Drizzle with lemon oil and lemon juice and place in the fridge.
Open the vacuum pack bag on three sides, remove the avocado from the fridge, and trim the sides of the avocado so that they are even.
Place the crab mixture in a piping bag and pipe the mixture down the middle of the avocado. Using the vacuum bag, roll the avocado over the crab mix to create a roll. Refrigerate for at least an hour until it's served. Slice using a very sharp thin-bladed knife.
For the breakfast radish Top and tail the breakfast radish and cut into ½ cm rounds. Place in a vacuum pack bag with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt, and seal tightly.
Place in a water bath for 15 minutes at 65°C. Chill and reserve for service.
To finish Place two dots of apple purée on the plate and pull the dots across. Place a roulade in the centre of the plate and place a radish slice on either side.
Garnish with coriander cress, and spoon a few drops of lobster roe oil and lemon oil around the plate.
By Jeremy Brown, executive chef, Home House
Photo by Kat Hannon
RECOMMENDED WINE
For this dish I would select a more aromatic style of Riesling, perhaps from Clare Valley in Australia or Central Otago in New Zealand, and a fairly recent vintage so it will still have that fresh acidity that complements the crab so well.
Xavier Rousset is co-owner of Texture and 28°-50°, in London
