Sunday 24 January 2010

Crab preparation 101



I promised my team quite a while ago that i would post the preparation of a crab. After finding the photos that we took, i am now posting what i promised. Thanks to Budi and Jason for their modelling hands, good work gents!

(raw)
Firstly the type of crab used here is the brown crab. It is a European crab and has a good amount of brown and white meat.
The humane way to cook the crab is to insert a skewer through the eyes and out through the tail. When the crab is dead, plunge into heavily salted boiling water. Cooking times vary according to the weight of the crab.
1 1/4 pound 15 mins
2 pound 20 mins
3 1/4 pound 25 mins
Anything larger cook for 30 mins
Once cooked, remove the crab from the water and allow to cool.

Once the crab is cool break off the claws, then remove the legs taking off the knuckle as well.
Break off the tail flap, then push the body section up and away from the head shell.
Pull the dead mans fingers off (the fat thumblike gills, you cant miss them).

(cooked)
Remove the brown meat from the headshell nto a container over ice and keep this separate.
Remove the brown meat from the centre of the body and add to the other brown meat. Then cut in half and using the back of a small teaspoon remove all of the white meat into a container over ice. The body should be quite hollow and much lighter after this process.
Crack the claws and the shells of the legs with the back of a knife and remove the meat without taking too much shell with it.
Using a tray over ice and wearing a pair of gloves. Pick through the crab in small handfuls by pressing the crab onto the tray and feeling any stray pieces of shell and membrane. Removing these pieces and dipping fingers in cold water to make sure it is gone.
Keep the crab in the fridge and serve that same day for best results.

Enjoy!!

Friday 15 January 2010

Back from my break



Merry Xmas and a happy new year to everyone. I took a little posting break for a few weeks. These are some of my recent dishes


Gratinated tian of confit salmon and crab,
cauliflower, beetroot, thai basil

Duo of fallow deer
Roasted tenderloin, cherry brandy froth, walnut and horserasish legere;
Spiced carpaccio, pomegranite vinaigrette, pomme souffle

Seared gurnard fillet
Scottish mussels, papperdelle of pasta and salsify, saffron and orange mussel broth

Roasted tenderloin of Longhorn beef
oxtail marmalade, celeriac, wild mushroom duxelle, Chasseur sauce

New Forest Nanny goats cheese
thyme and black pepper honey poached pineapple, dried fig