Here is a classic English starter for Easter that has its origins in the potted (butter preserved) meats of the 19th century. Simple to make, but delicious to eat.
Prep time 10 minutes/Cook time 15 minutes/Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 fresh red chilli
a few sprigs of fresh dill
300g (2/3 lbs) fresh crabmeat, two-thirds white and one-third brown, from sustainable sources
1 Sicilian lemon
1 generous pinch of ground mace
1 good pinch of ground cayenne
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
225g (1 cup) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Method:
De-seed and finely chop the chilli, and pick the dill fronds.
In a bowl, mix together the crab meats, lemon zest and juice, mace, cayenne and a generous grating of nutmeg, the chilli and a pinch of sea salt. Gently mix in 125g (4 ½ oz) of the butter, ensuring there are no lumps.
Spoon the resultant mixture into a small serving bowl, smoothing the surface and pressing down with the back of a spoon. Scatter the dill over the top.
Gently melt the remaining butter in a pan until it separates. Discarding the solids, spoon the clarified (liquid) butter over the crab. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for several hours (best over-night), until set.
Serve the potted crab with hot sourdough toasts, buttery asparagus and lemon wedges on the side.
