Winter Purslane
Crab with Agretti, Winter Purslane and Green Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
For Sauce
3 egg yolks
The juice of 1 lemon
1tbsp Dijon mustard (omega)
2 Anchovy Fillets, preserved in oil
1 small bunch of Chives, finely chopped
1 small bunch of Tarragon, leaves only, finely chopped
1 small bunch of Chervil, leaves only, finely chopped
150ml/5fl oz extra-virgin Olive Oil
Sea-salt and Black Pepper
2tbsp Crème Fraîche
For the Salad
3-4oz/75g-125g mixed Salad Leaves, Rocket, Winter Purslane, Cicorino Rosso
75g/3oz cooked Agretti
30ml/1fl oz extra-virgin Olive Oil
The juice of half a lemon
200g/7oz Fresh White Crab Meat
Method
Place the yolks in a blender along with the lemon juice, Dijon and anchovies. Purée to combine. Add the chives, tarragon and chervil and purée again. Drizzle in the oil very slowly from the funnel in the lid. You are, in a sense, making a mayonnaise. Once all the oil is incorporated, remove the lid and check for seasoning. Fold in the crème fraîche and set aside. (This will make more sauce than you will need but it keeps well and is delicious with many things.)
For the salad, wash and pat dry the leaves, place in a bowl and season. Add the agretti and dress lightly with the olive oil and lemon juice, divide among 4 plates.
Dress the crab with the remaining oil and lemon, season lightly and divide among the salad leaves. Spoon a little sauce on top and serve. It's delicious with sourdough toast.
Salad Recipes
Lettuce & Lovage Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Onion, chopped
- A Little Butter or Olive Oil
- 1 large Cos or 2 Large Butterhead Lettuce (or the outer leaves from four or more lettuces)
- 250g/9oz (shelled weight) Fresh or Frozen Peas
- 1litre/1¾pt good Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 5-6 fresh Lovage leaves (plus 4 more to garnish) or 3-4 sprigs Fresh Tarragon
- Salt and Pepper
Serves 4
Sweat the onion in the oil or butter until soft, then add the peas and lettuce. Pour over two-thirds of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 4-6 minutes (until the fattest of the peas are completely tender).
Remove from the heat and add the Lovage leaves or tarragon, then blend the soup with a hand blender or in a liquidiser. I stop blending before it is completely smooth, as I like to see and feel some texture, but a completely smooth, velvety texture is also nice. Thin the soup to your preferred texture with the remaining stock. I like it quite thick, but again, it's a matter of personal taste.
To serve cold, chill in the fridge, or if you're in a hurry, transfer to a cold bowl and place this in a second, larger bowl half filled with iced water. Stir until chilled, changing the water and adding more ice as necessary.
To serve hot, reheat, stirring occasionally and do not allow to boil. In both cases, garnish with a single Lovage leaf or a tiny sprig of tarragon in each bowl.
James Martin’s Herbs & Avacado Salad
- Ingredients
A handful of fresh soft herbs, including Dill, Basil, Coriander, Chervil - 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ Avocado, peeled and sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, juice only
Serves 1
Place the herbs into a large bowl and drizzle the oil over. Add the avocado, seasoning and lime juice and toss together to coat. Transfer the herb salad to a serving dish or plate to serve.
Spring Leaf Salad
Ingredients
- 225g Pancetta, cut into small cubes or lardons, or bacon bits (250g pack)
- Mixed fresh chestnut mushrooms thickly sliced
- 1 large Garlic Clove, finely chopped
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- 150ml Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- 440g can chickpeas
- Drained and rinsed 350g bag fresh young spinach leaves
- 225g blue cheese, crumbled
Serves 4
Sizzle the pancetta in a frying pan over a low heat for 10 minutes until golden and beginning to crisp. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Raise the heat and throw the mushrooms in with the pancetta fat. Fry the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes until cooked and golden. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add the garlic to the pan and fry for a minute until lightly brown. Pour in the vinegar and boil furiously to deglaze the pan. When the vinegar has reduced to a couple of tbsp take the pan off the heat and stir in the olive oil to make a dressing. Season to taste and set aside.
Put the chickpeas, mushrooms, pancetta and spinach into a large salad bowl and mix with your hands. Add the dressing and toss thoroughly, adding half the cheese at the end so as not to break it up too much. Serve the salad scattered with the remaining cheese.
