Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 onion
• thinly sliced
• 400g/14oz carrots
• roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 500ml/18fl oz vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• diced
• 75g/2¾oz plain flour
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• 75g/2¾oz white crabmeat
• 30g/1oz brown crabmeat
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 tbsp baby coriander

Directions

• For the soup
• heat the olive oil and the butter in a large lidded saucepan. Add the onion
• cover and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots and ground coriander and gently fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes
• or until the carrots are tender. Add the chopped coriander then put the soup in a blender and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C. Alternatively
• heat the oil in a deep
• heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it.
• Heat the butter and 125ml/4fl oz water in a saucepan until boiling
• then boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the flour and cayenne pepper using a wooden spoon until smooth
• or until the mixture comes away from the side of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes
• stirring continuously.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well before adding the second egg.
• Stir in the white and brown crabmeat and mix until well combined
• then season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle. Carefully pipe 1½cm/½in long sections into the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove the beignets from the pan using a slotted spoon
• drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
• To serve
• ladle the soup into bowls
• scatter over some crab beignets. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the baby coriander.