CRAB RAREBIT WITH FRIES AND A LITTLE GEM SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 small whole crabs
- cooked
- 35g/13oz Montgomery cheddar cheese
- grated
- 3 tbsp milk
- 25g/1oz breadcrumbs
- 25g/1oz flour
- dash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 free-range egg
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- ½ tsp English mustard powder
- 25g/1oz butter
- melted
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- vegetable oil
- for deep frying
- 2 large chipping potatoes
- peeled and cut into fries
- 2 Little Gem lettuces
- leaves only
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- juice only
Directions
- Open the crabs
- remove all the white and brown meat and place in a bowl. Feel for any small pieces of broken shell and remove from the meat. Wash the main shells of the crabs thoroughly and pat dry using kitchen paper.
- Use a fork to gently mash together the brown and white crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper and spoon the crabmeat back into the clean shells.
- To make the rarebit sauce
- place the cheese and milk into a small saucepan and heat
- stirring occasionally to prevent it catching
- until the cheese is melted. Add the breadcrumbs and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes
- stirring all the time to prevent any lumps forming.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the Worcestershire sauce
- whole egg
- egg yolk and the mustard powder. Mix thoroughly and season
- to taste
- with salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the fries.
- Preheat the deep-fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot fat can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Drop the fries into the hot fat and cook for 3 minutes
- or until golden-brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen roll and season with salt.
- For the crab rarebit
- preheat the grill to high.
- Place the filled crab shells on a baking tray. Spoon the rarebit sauce over the top of the crabmeat. Drizzle a little melted butter over the top and place under the hot grill for a few minutes until the rarebit is bubbling and golden-brown.
- When ready to serve
- dress the Little Gem leaves with the olive oil and lemon juice.
- Serve the crab rarebit in the shells with the salad and fries alongside.

