Tian of crab with cured salmon and lemon grass jelly

INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

For the cured salmon
250g Glenarm salmon
10g salt
10g sugar
2g ground white pepper
5g lemon zest
2g coriander

For the crab filling
200g white crab meat
50g brown crab meat diced
30g Granny Smith apple, diced
5g ginger, blanched three times in lemon juice, water and sugar
3g sliced coriander leaves
25g mayonnaise
2g salt
5g lime juice
25g crab velouté

For the lemon grass jelly (enough for 12 portions)
Salmon trimmings (from one fish)
1 onion
50g leek
1 garlic clove
500g tomatoes
200g fennel trimmings
20g parsley stalks
200ml Noilly Prat
300ml white wine
30g celery
1 litre water
20g salt
40g lemon grass, blended

5g ginger
300g raw salmon, minced
3 egg whites
5g lemon grass sticks, finely chopped
250g asparagus tips
40g tomato concassé (seasoned with basil, coriander, olive oil, salt and pepper)
60g mâche salad leaves
50g avocado pear
30g diced apple
20g crème fraîche
Cucumber, chopped (to taste)
50g tomato coulis
30g crab oil
Balsamic sauce
20g oscietra caviar

METHOD

Remove bones from salmon fillet. Combine dry marinade ingredients, rub on both sides of the fish and leave to cure for five hours. Mix crab meat and other crab filling ingredients together.

Place the ingredients for the lemon grass jelly (except minced salmon, egg whites and 5g of finely chopped lemon grass) in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes. Drain and cool. Beat in minced salmon, egg whites and chopped lemon grass. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain.

Line tian rings with asparagus tips. Place crab mixture halfway up then add a layer of tomato concassé in centre, before filling to the top with the remaining crab meat. Arrange mâche in centre of plate with tian on top. Arrange three quenelles made with avocado and apple, and three pieces of marinated salmon around the tian - alternating the two garnishes. But first sit the salmon on crème fraîche mixed with diced cucumber. Garnish with tomato coulis and balsamic sauce. Spoon lemon grass jelly on tian at last minute and top with caviar.

by Jonathan Wright, The Lark Creek Inn, California, USA.

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Photo © Nick Smith