Spider crab from our coast in a shell of fennel confit with vanilla
Chef Mathieu Dunet shares a sophisticated recipe idea to impress your guests this Christmas
Ingredients for 4 people
- 1 spider crab weighing 1 kg
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- A handful of fresh seaweed (sea lettuce, kombu, wakame, or, if unavailable, a mix of flaked seaweed)
- 2 vanilla beans
- ½ bunch of dill
- 20 cl of liquid crème fraîche
Preparation
Candied Fennel Petals: Gently separate the petals from a fennel bulb to form shells. Candied them over low heat in a neutral oil with a split and scraped vanilla bean.
Sea Spider Prepare a well-salted broth that is just simmering, using the fennel trimmings, celery, carrot, onion, and fresh seaweed. Add the sea spider and cook for 18 minutes per kilogram. Let cool, then shell.- Vanilla and Dill Whipped Cream
Whip the crème fraîche into salted whipped cream, stirring in the seeds from a vanilla bean. Finely chop the dill and fold it in along with the spider crab meat. Adjust the seasoning to taste. - Plating
Place the candied fennel bulb in the center of the plate. Add a quenelle of spider crab meat with vanilla and dill. Finish with a few sprigs of dill for the finishing touch.