Potted Cromer Crab (English)

Celebrate the age-old English tradition of potted seafood, by combining the tender, sweet flesh of Cromer crab with sherry, herbs and lemon juice. The Cromer crab is such an iconic food – they are the sweetest crabs in the country – some say this is because of the chalky habitat they live in – and, as I understand it, they are also the smallest crabs that can be legally landed in the country – they have to be at least 115mm across the breadth of the shell.

butter (225 g)
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
½ tsp. ground mace
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 dressed Cromer crabs, from the fish service counter
½ pkg fresh chives, chopped (7.5 g)
1 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

To Serve:
8 slices wholegrain bread, toasted
lemon wedges

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Carefully pour off the clarified butter into a clean saucepan, discarding the milky white residue left behind. Add the sherry, mace and cayenne pepper to the clarified butter and heat gently for 2 minutes.

Scoop the dressed crab meat into a bowl and stir in the chives, lemon juice, a small pinch of salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Reserve 4 Tbsp. of the clarified butter and stir the rest into the crab mixture.

Divide the mixture between 4 small ramekins (about 150 mL) and spoon the reserved clarified butter over.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or until the butter has set. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Serve with slices of warm wholegrain toast and lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings.