Combining crab, asparagus and citrusy flavours, this recipe, that Jason Atherton shared at the Diners Club Cook School, will help you create the perfect light, summery dish.

NEED TO KNOW

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour + cooling time
Serves: UNKNOWN
Difficulty: Intermediate 

INGREDIENTS

• 8 spears of green asparagus, medium thickness
• 200g picked white crab meat (Jason recommends buying this from your local fish monger)
• 1kg crab shells, chopped (Jason recommends asking your local fish monger to do this for you)
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 banana shallots, peeled and chopped
• ½ leek, washed and chopped
• 5 plum vine tomatoes, washed and chopped
• ½ head garlic, peeled and chopped
• 100g tomato puree
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 5g coriander seeds
• 4g fennel seeds
• 300ml white wine
• 3 litres of fish stock (buy this from your local fish monger or supermarket)
• 1 baby gem lettuce
• 1 lemon
• 10 chive tips
• 60g butter, diced
• 40ml vegetable oil
• Maldon salt to season
• Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD FOR THE CRAB SAUCE

1. Colour the chopped crab shells in a hot saucepan in the vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once coloured, remove them from the pan.
2. Now add the carrots, shallots, leek, and garlic in a large pan and colour until light and golden brown. Now add the herbs and spices and cook for 1 minute on low heat.
3. Add tomato puree and cookout for 2 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently.
4. Now add the tomatoes and white wine. Reduce the wine by half.
5. Cover with the fish stock and bring to a simmer, skim well.
6. Simmer for 1 hour, skimming regularly. Now remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
7. Pass through a fine sieve and place the sauce back into a clean saucepan.
8. Now reduce to the required consistency. It should be a nice sauce consistency. Not too thick or too thin
9. Once reduced to your desired consistency, whisk in the butter and add a little squeeze of lemon juice.

METHOD FOR THE BABY GEM LETTUCE

1. Break the gem heart into individual leaves and dress in a bowl with a little olive oil and Maldon salt

METHOD FOR THE WHITE CRAB MEAT

1. Place the crab meat into a bowl and season with olive oil, Maldon salt and fresh lemon zest and juice.

METHOD FOR GREEN ASPARAGUS

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil
2. Carefully remove the scale leaves on each spear, using a small knife
3. Now cut roughly 1 inch off the bottom of each spear.
4. Cook the spears in the water for 2-3 minutes, depending on the size
5. Remove from the water and drain onto kitchen paper
6. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Maldon salt

HOW TO PLATE UP

1. Place the asparagus spears onto the plate and neatly place the white crab mixture on top.
2. Now arrange the lettuce leaves on and around the asparagus and crab mixture.
3. Spoon the crab sauce on the asparagus spears and the plate.
4. Finish the dish by placing a few of the chive tips on and around the dish and drizzle some olive oil on and around everything. Enjoy!

Recipe by Jason Atherton.