In spring, tender green wild fennel perfumes the cliff paths and slopes of our region. Spring vegetables are present at this time and, even if their season is nearing its end, there are still scallops, while spider crabs scurry along the coast. This is the time, while the broom is flowering and the water is beginning to warm, to treat yourself to a feast which mingles flavours from the earth and the sea.
For 4 people
Ingredients
2 female spider crabs weighing 600 g (1 lb, 6 oz) each - A few coriander leaves - A few drops of peppermint cordial or mint liqueur - 1 dl safflower oil (1/3 cup) - 5 ml brown sugar (1 tsp) - 1 bunch strong mint leaves - 2 lemons - 5 ml fresh wild fennel flowers (1 tsp) - 2 slices rye bread - 4 scallops - 1 young carrot grown in sand - wild fennel branches - 20 g salted butter (2/3 oz) - 1/2 courgette - 2 asparagus - Cayenne pepper
Velvet swimming crab stock : 5 live velvet swimming crabs - 1 small leek - 5 cl oil (1/4 cup) - 1 carrot - 1 dl chicken stock (1/2 cup) - 1/2 garlic clove - 1 shallot
Meticulous with a vinaigrette prepared in advance, but several operations that must be carried out almost simultaneously at the last minute - you will need four springform moulds measuring 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diametre and 4 cm (2 inches) high.
Basic preparation
In advance: the velvet swimming crab stock for the sauce. Wash the carrot and leek and dice them finely, along with the shallot. Saute the crabs in the oil. They should be well seared to turn red - they are said to "cardinalise." Then, with a strong wooden spatula, and still over high heat, break up the crabs. Add the carrot, shallot and garlic, and heat the mixture. When the vegetables are translucent add the chicken stock, then water to cover. Let the mixture simmer for 1 hour, adding water to cover when necessary. Strain through a fine strainer or cheesecloth to obtain a clear and very aromatic stock. Set aside in a cool place.
More than 2 hours in advance: prepare the vinaigrette. Squeeze the 2 lemons, add the sugar and salt. Stir until these are dissolved, add the safflower oil and whisk with 1 dl (1/2 cup) velvet swimming crab stock, then the roughly chopped herbs and crushed wild fennel flowers. Emulsify with a whisk. Allow the mixture to infuse for 2 hours at room temperature. Strain through a fine strainer and, to finish, add a few drops of peppermint cordial.
Meanwhile, plunge the spider crabs into 5 l (5 quarts) of boiling salted water (15 g/1/2 oz of coarse sea salt per litre/quart or, better, 5 litres/5 quarts sea water) with a pinch of Cayenne pepper, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the crabs from the water and let them cool.
Shell the crabs with a nutcracker and scraper. Separate the coral from the meat, being careful not to leave any splinters of shell or partition. Set aside the coral. Cut the vegetables into small brunoise, that is to say small cubes measuring 3 mm (1/8 inch) on each side. Use only the outside part of the courgette to have the green of the skin and the white of the flesh. Cook the vegetables separately in a little salted water. Refresh them under running water, drain and set aside.
Final preparation
Clean the fennel sprigs. Shell the scallops, set aside the flesh in a cool place. Cut the slices of rye bread into fingers. Warm the crabmeat with a tiny bit of vinaigrette. Add the vegetable mixture (called a "matignon"). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the rest of the vinaigrette without boiling, whisking constantly. Heat the spider crab corals with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Finely slice the scallops, following the vertical fibres.
Last minute
Cover the bottom of each mould with a slice of scallop. Fill with the spider crab meat and the vegetables. Cover with a slice of scallop. Heat lightly under the grill.
During this time, dry the bread fingers under the grill and spread with salted butter. Carefully unmould the small spider crab and scallop cakes. Near them, arrange the spider crab corals and coat them with the whisked vinegar. Add a few sprigs of wild fennel. Finally, arrange the toast fingers around the edge of the plate.
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© Olivier Roellinger - Maisons de Bricourt. |
